Begin Again
by Kayson3259
Summary: It wasn't the right timing, nor the right But someplace deep in her heart, Spencer Hastings knew that she was destined to meet that blue-eyed It wasn't a coincidence; it was
1. Prologue

_**Author's Note: **__Hey! So this is my second fanfiction, so some of you may know me from my other story "Forget Me Not". One day, I just heard Taylor Swift's song "Begin Again" and I was very inspired by the lyrics. I immediately thought of my OTP, Spoby. Not sure how good this will be, so I'm uploading the Prologue, but please tell me whether or not you like it and I will continue with it!_

* * *

**Prologue**

She ran out into the rain, not caring that she wasn't wearing a jacket or that she might get hypothermia. She didn't care that she was in the City of Love, or that right now she was probably sitting in the breeding ground of a thousand different types of germs. None of that mattered. Her body shook violently as the sobs escaped her mouth.

She was partially shielded from the buckets pouring down by the fire escape above her. She was sitting in an alleyway, probably in the company of rats and rotting food. Still, she didn't care. She didn't look up when she heard footsteps approaching her through the rain. She didn't even tear her eyes away from her hands when the person sat next to her and placed their hand on her back.

"I can't believe they were all right…" she trailed off, succumbing to her cries and finally looking at the wall across the alley from her.

The blue-eyed boy shook his head. He assured her, "He's an ass. You deserve better than that."

Her sobs began again, and he wrapped her arms around her. "Toby…please tell me that it's going to be okay. Tell me that…what I saw right now…wasn't real," she pleaded.

"I wish I could."

Hearing that, she began crying as much as there was rain. Toby's heart broke seeing how devastated his best friend was.

She closed her eyes, pressing the hot tears out of them, praying it would be over soon.

* * *

_So let me know what you think and I might just keep going with it. __**-Kayson**_


	2. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: **Hey! So I've decided to keep going with this story because I get the sense that you guys really liked it. I promise that this chapter is a lot longer! I hope you enjoy it!_

* * *

**Chapter One**

_This dress is so uncomfortable. What about these heels? Do these heels go with this dress? Are they too small? Do they make me look too tall? Andrew hates it when I wear heels…_

_Is this red lipstick too provocative? We're just going to a dinner. And it's blood red. Does it even go with this dress? I know it's black and silver, gold, and bronze tie-dye…but sometimes it looks like too much. Is it not good enough for a formal dinner? I want to look like I belong on Andrew's arm when he gets that prestigious award or whatever it was that he won. Maybe if I was more like…_

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. _Don't do it Spencer…this is what he talked about. Just take deep breaths. _

She willed herself to open her eyes and look at her own reflection. She hoped she looked pretty enough. She began to put the diamond studs into her ears, wincing as she slid the metal through her pierced ears. The last time she had worn earrings was probably two years ago, at her college graduation.

Another figure stepped into the mirror's reflection. Before she could even react, Andrew put his arms around her. "Are you almost ready, Spence?" he asked.

Spencer nodded, smiling. "Yes. I'm so happy for you," she said to Andrew. She turned to face him. Tenderly, she put her arms around his shoulders. "I love you so much," Spencer purred.

Andrew smiled and met her with a kiss on the lips. He looked as though he was contemplating something. Spencer obviously caught onto this.

"What is it, Andrew?" she asked nervously.

"I wanted to wait until tonight to ask you this, but what the hell?"

In a single moment, before Spencer could even register what was going on, Andrew was on one knee, with a red velvet box in his hand. "Will you marry me?"

Spencer was absolutely speechless. She just nodded, not able to form the words she wanted to say.

* * *

"You are going to be such a good looking date," Emily cooed, straightening Toby's tie, which so beautifully matched his extremely blue eyes.

Toby smirked. "You're not so bad yourself, Em," he commented. Emily was wearing a dark blue dress. She was accompanying him to this dinner he was just so excited to go to.

No, he was actually dreading it. Not only did he have to be stuck at some boring dinner, he had to get dressed up and sit through a bunch of award presentations and acceptance speeches. Thankfully, he would have Emily by his side.

Emily had been his friend since high school. She was also his unrequited crush, until she disclosed that she was a lesbian. Though he was crushed by her revelation (he did like her a lot), he was glad she didn't reject him because of some other guy.

"Don't worry, Toby. For you, I'll even go back in the closet for a night. I can be your girlfriend," she smiled. "For the record, if I were straight, I would go for you first," Emily assured him.

Toby looked at her with fake lust in his eyes. "You're killing me here, Emily," he whined.

They both laughed. Emily looked at the clock on the wall. "We are going to be late. Come on," she said, dragging him out of the house. He smiled and followed the trail of her vanilla scented perfume out the door.

* * *

Spencer couldn't help but stare at the huge rock on her finger. It must have cost a fortune. It was at the very least 4 carats, and with the white gold setting, Spencer estimated it must have cost at least $17K. He must have been saving for it for a long time. Then again, Andrew would probably hardly bat an eye over that much money; it was change that he found in the couch cushions. His father had retired, and Andrew was the CEO of a global communications company.

"Does it not fit?" Andrew asked nervously.

Spencer snapped out of her trance. "What?" She realized his question and shook her head urgently. "No. No, not at all. It's perfect. You remembered I'm a size 7." She looked down at it dreamily again. "It's perfect," she muttered.

Andrew smiled. "Come on. I need to show off my _fiancé_."

Spencer smiled as they walked through the door, arm in arm. Spencer suddenly felt underdressed. All around her were women, all dressed to the nines in pearls and diamonds, their hair pulled back tightly in updos. They had on floor length silk and satin dresses; some even had matching gloves and diamond tennis bracelets.

"You didn't tell me it would be _this _fancy," she said to Andrew through gritted teeth.

"Maybe I was hoping that you would decide not to wear heels if I told you it wasn't so fancy," Andrew responded.

Spencer used every fiber of her being to not roll her eyes at this. He was so bitter about her being nearly his height in high heels. She found it a little sad and made a mental note to strut around in heels whenever she was mad at him.

Spencer peered down at her engagement ring and smiled. In the end, Andrew was the best guy that she had ever been with. He was good to her, and he was sure of whom he was. They were alike, and Spencer needed someone who was like her.

Andrew led Spencer over to the table which they were assigned to. She saw a handful of other people sitting at the table with them. Spencer was unsure of what this dinner was actually about, but hoped that it wasn't completely boring.

"Why are we here again?" she asked.

"It's a dinner for the benefactors of the museum," Andrew explained.

Spencer rolled her eyes. "How much did you invest to make sure that you won out?" she asked nervously.

"Half a million."

Spencer's jaw nearly dropped, but she then recalled that this still probably wasn't a lot of money for him.

She looked around the table. There was an empty spot next to her. Alongside that spot was a brunette with tan skin and a beautiful sapphire blue dress. Spencer thought she was stunning. Next to her were two couples.

Spencer smiled at the girl, who gave an apprehensive smile back. Then, a man came over. He looked no shorter than six feet tall. Spencer thought his features were striking. _He's so…no! Spencer! Andrew. Look at Andrew. _She turned her head. But she couldn't help but look back at the man who sat down next to her.

He truly was beautiful. He had thick, light brown hair and light blue eyes. He just had this sweet, gentle face which made Spencer intrigued to know him.

He sat down next to the girl in the sapphire dress. He said, "Sorry, Em. I have no way to get out early."

She laughed. "Really, Toby, it's fine. I have no problem being your date," she whispered to Toby.

_Spencer! Snap out of it! You just got engaged to your boyfriend of four years!_

_But he's just so cute…_

_No! Isn't that his girlfriend right there? Probably! And don't you dare ask! That would be awfully nosy, Spencer!_

She shook her inner thoughts out of her head.

The servers came out with the salad. Emily took a bite.

"Can you please pass the oil?" she asked Spencer.

Spencer gave it to her.

"Thank you," she replied.

The four people sat in silence. Andrew's phone rang. Spencer rolled her eyes as he proceeded to get up and answer it.

Spencer sighed, no longer sure of what to do with herself. "I'm sure it's something with work," she commented.

Emily smiled uncomfortably. Toby's smile was much more sincere.

"I know what that's like. I'm Toby," he greeted her.

Spencer smiled. "I'm Spencer. Spencer Hastings."

"I'm Emily," Emily added in uncomfortably. Spencer couldn't determine whether or not this was out of shyness or bitchiness, but she was kind of hoping it was the latter; she wanted something to bitch about.

"Excuse me," Spencer said hastily, exiting the room with her bag.

* * *

Toby looked over at Emily as soon as Spencer left.

"What's wrong with you? Could you have been any ruder?" he questioned.

Emily rolled her eyes. "I thought I was your girlfriend for the night. As your girlfriend, I would be overprotective. I'm sorry that I'm a method actress."

Toby got up and followed where Spencer was going. She was on the balcony of the building which the event was being held at. He found her standing there and all he could see was the glowing amber tip of the object in her hand. From the light, including the light in the city below them, she could barely make out her face. Still, he was able to see the contours, and he could still see her glowing brown eyes.

On a whim, he knocked the cigarette out of her hand. It dropped on the ground and he grinded it out.

"What the hell?" she asked.

"I just saved you from lung cancer," Toby insisted.

Spencer rolled her eyes. "I think you're over-exaggerating."

Toby scoffed. "Really? Did you know that it can take up to twenty years for the effects of smoking to go away?"

She was impressed that he knew his facts. He continued.

"Besides, a friend wouldn't let another friend do something stupid."

Spencer raised her perfectly shaped eyebrow in curiosity. "I wasn't aware that we were friends," she commented.

"Didn't you ever hear the saying, 'Strangers are friends we haven't met yet'?" he asked.

Spencer smiled. "I think the quote is actually 'There are no strangers here; only friends you haven't yet met'. William Butler Yeats. Irish poet and 20th century literary figure," she added.

"I stand corrected," he smiled.

She laughed. She looked off of the balcony. She looked at the bright lights below her. She let out a single laugh. "It's funny. I've never met anyone who is as much of a nerd as me," she commented.

"I'm not really a nerd, but I have read the entire collection of American classics," Toby said, looking down at his feet. He looked back up at Spencer. "My favorite is Catcher in the Rye."

Spencer nodded. "For some reason you strike me as the type to look up to Holden Caulfield. I'm sure that your room is plastered in Metallica and Radiohead posters," she joked.

"It's _The Rolling Stones _and Radiohead. I'm a sucker for the Stones, and Creep is one of my favorite songs," he informed her.

"Ooh, now I stand corrected," she joked. She looked him over once in the dim light. "Maybe we could hang out some time. You know, when I'm not wearing these ridiculous heels or this obnoxious dress," she said.

"I think your dress _and your heels _are very nice," he insisted.

She smiled. Maybe this was the start of a beautiful friendship.

* * *

_For the record, I have nothing against Andrew, but I feel bad that us Spobettes are constantly hating on Wren (though he gives us pretty good reason to). So I decided to make Spencer's fiancé Andrew for argument's sake. Anyways, please review! Your reviews made my day yesterday! __**-Kayson**_


	3. Chapter 2

**_Author's Note:_**_ I am so sorry for the long wait! I've just been having major writers' block with this chapter, and I personally don't think that it's so great. It's more of a filler, and next chapter is where things start to get going. Still, I felt like this chapter is kind of essential to the story, therefore it must exist._

* * *

**Chapter Two**

"Go on about this boy. Spence, I want all the dirty details!" Hanna squealed.

Spencer looked at the shirt which she was holding over her torso before responding. "Nothing happened, Hanna! I am an engaged woman now," she insisted.

Hanna rolled her eyes. "Engaged, my ass. You probably want to have hot, dirty sex with this Toby as we speak. And don't even try to deny it, because you have that blush on your face!" Hanna exclaimed.

"Hanna!"

Hanna sighed. "Fine, don't tell me. But I bet this Toby guy is really hot. I mean, Andrew is easy on the eyes, too, so Toby must be sizzling," she gushed.

"I wouldn't know. But he's sweet. And he's clever. And he's studious like me."

"I just got bored."

Spencer sighed. "Fine. He's got these amazing blue eyes—"

"Like me?" Hanna interrupted.

"Yes, just like you. And he has light brown hair and he is no shorter than six feet tall," she said dreamily.

"Spencer Jill Hastings! You just went to your happy place. And I will bet anything that in your happy place, you get to make sweet, hot love to Toby. All. Day. Long," Hanna taunted.

Spencer swatted at Hanna. "Stop it! Like I said, I am making a commitment to Andrew because I love him. So I do not need you in your red Chloe heels to be like the devil on my shoulder."

Hanna laughed.

Spencer rolled her eyes and continued. "Besides, I think he has a girlfriend," she informed Hanna.

Hanna's face fell. "Aww…no cute Spencer and Toby babies."

"You've never even seen him."

"But come on? Spencer and Toby? I ship that." Hanna looked at her pink nails and turned back to Spencer. "So tell me about this girlfriend so I can rip on her."

Spencer shrugged. "Well, the girl he was with yesterday was really exotic looking. She had really dark hair, really tan skin, and dark brown eyes. And she is really pretty. And she was wearing this dress you would love. It was literally the same color as your necklace. Gorgeous," she said, pointing towards Hanna's genuine sapphire necklace.

Hanna put her hand on her neck to touch the necklace. Then, she put one hand on Spencer's shoulder. "I bet she looks like a horse kicked her in the face, Spence."

Spencer laughed at Hanna's loyalty. Hanna looked at her charm bracelet watch. She frowned at the time.

"Gotta run, Spence. I'm meeting my friend for coffee," she informed her. Hanna gave Spencer a hug and amicable kiss on the cheek before walking to the door to leave.

"Wait! Can I come with you? I've been so exhausted. I've been planning my own wedding to save money, and I—"

Hanna held up her hand, interrupting. "You're planning to save money? You're marrying one of the richest men in the United States." Hanna's expression turned sad. "Wait—you're abandoning my idea of having a wedding at a venue with an indoor lake, where you can get swans and light floating tea candles?" she asked sadly.

Spencer groaned.

"You can come if you let me pick out my own bridesmaids dress," Hanna said.

"Wow. Am I really about to trade something which will stay in my life forever for a cup of coffee?" Spencer asked herself.

"Yes."

Spencer groaned, but allowed Hanna to drag her out of the apartment.

* * *

"I will take a tall skinny latte. Spence?" Hanna asked as the barista at the coffee shop wrote Hanna's order on a cup.

Spencer was preoccupied. She snapped her attention back to Hanna and the barista. "Um…a grande coffee?" she ordered.

The barista nodded and handed Spencer her coffee. Hanna and Spencer both waited at the counter for Hanna's latte.

"So who are we meeting?" Spencer asked, taking a sip of the black coffee.

"My friend Emily," Hanna answered. The barista handed Hanna her drink, and they both sat down at a booth.

Hanna pulled out her pink phone and began playing a game. Meanwhile, Spencer nearly choked on her already bitter coffee. She saw the woman walk into the coffee shop and order a coffee at the counter. Hanna was too engrossed in her game of The Moron Test to notice.

"Spence! I beat my old record by twenty-three seconds!" Hanna exclaimed excitedly.

Before long, the girl sat down at the booth. Hanna looked up and put her phone away.

"Hey, Em!" she greeted eagerly. "This is Spencer."

Emily's jaw almost dropped upon seeing Spencer. Spencer sat with the same deer-in-headlights expression. Hanna was completely oblivious.

"What?" she asked.

"We've met before," Spencer answered numbly.

Hanna gasped. "Really? Where?"

"At that dinner," Emily responded cautiously.

Hanna gasped again, realizing that Emily was the girl Spencer told her about. "Since when are you dating anyone?"

Emily looked into her coffee cup. She didn't know what to say about this. "Toby's not my boyfriend."

Spencer became confused. "I thought that you said you two were dating at that dinner," she reminded Emily.

Emily nodded. "I know I said that. I was playing along. I told him I would be his girlfriend for the night if anyone asked. And you asked."

Spencer nodded. "I did." She looked down, looking for some excuse to leave. "I think this coffee needs a bagel to go with it. I'll be back."

"Spence? Can you get me one, too?" Hanna asked eagerly.

Spencer nodded after a pause. Then, she left Emily and Hanna by themselves.

"You're not interested in Toby at all?" Hanna asked.

Emily gave her a knowing look. "I think you know the answer to that already."

Hanna jerked back into the booth. "This sucks. If it weren't for stupid Andrew, they'd be together now," Hanna fumed. "And by the way, you should never be someone's fake date again. You totally give people the impression that you're dating when you're not."

"That was kind of the point, Hanna. And isn't Spencer engaged?" Emily inquired.

Hanna shrugged. "Minor complications. But Spencer would dump him in a hot minute for Toby. From the looks of things, he feels the same way. Wanna tell me about that, Em?" she asked slyly while sneaking in a sip of her drink.

Emily sighed. "I may have acted a little bit on the bitchy side. I apologize. But I wanted to protect Toby. And it looks like I have valid reason to. Did you not just say that she's engaged? Like three times?"

Hanna rolled her eyes. "You need to stop dwelling on the Andrew factor. Me and the pixie can arrange an accident, and poof! He's gone."

Somehow, that did not seem like a promising idea to Emily.

Spencer returned, two bagels in hand. Hanna took hers eagerly, licking the excess cream cheese off of her finger. Emily watched in disgust as a large glob of it fell off the bagel. Hanna grabbed a napkin and wiped it away. Emily relaxed again.

"Spencer?" Emily asked. Spencer looked up at her timidly. "I'm sorry if I gave off the wrong impression at that dinner. I didn't mean to be bitchy or anything; I really don't have any say on what happens with you and Toby and I probably shouldn't have acted so defensive," she explained.

Spencer was surprised. "What do you mean? I understand. I would act defensive over my boyfriend, too."

Emily shook her head. "That's what I'm trying to say. He's _not _my boyfriend. I'm gay," she blurted. Immediately, she felt a little stupid.

On the other end of the table, Spencer didn't even flinch. "It doesn't make a difference. But Toby seemed very sweet."

Emily smiled. "He is…he's the nicest person I've ever met."

* * *

After an hour or so of talking, the three girls devised a plan amongst themselves.

"We should go out together! You can bring Toby, we can bring Aria," Hanna suggested.

Emily nodded. "It sounds like fun. And maybe Toby can bring his friends. They're so much fun."

The girls all exchanged a smile.

"That sounds like a great idea!" Spencer exclaimed. "What about this Friday?" she inquired.

"Works for me," Hanna answered.

"So am I. I'll ask Toby. This is going to be fun," Emily smiled.

Suddenly, Spencer found herself counting down the hours before she would meet Toby again.

* * *

_Keep a lookout for the next chapter! __**-Kayson**_


	4. Chapter 3

**_Author's Note: _**_Sorry about the wait, guys! I've just been extremely busy with finals, but now that the hardest one is behind me and I only have like ten days left of school, I am going to come back to this story and my other story. I'm warning you that this chapter isn't as Spoby-heavy, but there is some very cute couple-y scenes. And since this story is AU, I'm going to break down the friendship circles for you: Spencer, Hanna, and Aria are friends. Hanna is friends with Emily, and Emily is kinda-friends with Spencer (they just met last chapter). Emily is friends with Toby, Caleb, and Jason. Just a heads-up :)_

* * *

**Chapter Three**

"Spencer. You look hot tonight. And Andrew's not coming. Why do you look so hot tonight?" Aria asked as Hanna and Spencer arrived at her apartment.

Hanna laughed as Spencer squirmed. "She's got a wittle crush on _Toby_," Hanna taunted as she sing-songed Toby's name.

Spencer rolled her eyes, but couldn't contain her blush.

The Pixie picked up on Spencer's suddenly flushed cheeks. "Spencer Hastings! Don't tell me you have a _crush_," Aria said.

Spencer winced at Aria's use of the word "crush"; it implied such a juvenile infatuation. It also made Spencer feel like a cheater.

_But…isn't that kind of what I'm doing? I like Toby, and not in a friendly way. In a romantic way. Ugh, Spencer, you're such a terrible person! Less than a week after getting engaged, you're already mentally-cheating on your fiancé! Get it together! _Spencer mentally scolded herself.

"Where are we going?" asked Aria, breaking Spencer out of her thoughts.

Hanna thought for a moment. "The Lava Lounge? I think that's what it's called. Emily said it's really nice. And she said that Toby invited two of his friends to come with us. I forget what their names are," Hanna answered.

There was an uncomfortable silence as Aria nodded. Spencer could only hear the soft hum of her refrigerator, and it was starting to bother her.

"Where is it?"

"Whoa, Spencer. I know you need to be fashionably early to like everything, but you need to chill. It's like fifteen minutes away from here," Hanna insisted.

Spencer rolled her eyes and sighed. "That's not why I'm flipping out," she blurted out.

"We know. It's because you can't wait to see your paramour. But please contain your excitement. We will get there soon enough," Hanna teased.

Spencer picked up a box of tissues and threw them at Hanna, who swatted the box away.

"Aria, we better go. Someone is really anxious to see her _lover._"

Aria laughed as Spencer glared at them both.

"Come on," she grumbled.

* * *

"You're not going to tell us more about this girl that you met?" a shaggy brown haired man asked Toby.

Toby shrugged. "There's nothing to tell. She's engaged. But she's nice."

The person behind him scoffed. "Come on, Toby. Caleb is right. You're infatuated with this girl, and the only thing that's keeping you from pursuing her is the fact that she's engaged and you're too nice."

"Isn't that two reasons, Jason?" Toby asked.

"You know what I mean," Jason said, glaring. "You're into this girl."

Toby parked the car. "We're here," he announced, ignoring Jason's statement.

Toby, Jason, and Caleb walked up to the club when Toby caught Emily smoking. Immediately, he walked up to her and plucked the cigarette out of her hand. Dropping it on the ground, he ground it out.

"Toby!" she scolded.

"What did I tell you about smoking, Em?" he inquired.

Emily rolled her eyes. "I hate it, too, but I need to fit into a size four by next week. I need to lose another ten pounds," she told him.

"Emily, you're beautiful. You don't need to lose any weight and you should have more self-respect than to do this to yourself."

"I do. But I also need money," Emily said, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Toby took that away, too. "Fine, I won't smoke," she said finally.

They all walked into the club, seeking out Spencer, Hanna, and Aria. Emily finally spotted them at the bar. Emily gave Spencer and Hanna a hug, and then greeted Aria. The guys all introduced themselves. Hanna immediately locked eyes with Caleb.

"Can I call you Sketchy?" she inquired.

Caleb gave her a skeptical look. "Sketchy?"

Hanna nodded. "Yeah, you just give off that sketchy vibe," she commented. Emily kicked her in the leg. "Ow! Em!" she exclaimed.

But Caleb only laughed. "Sure. Sketchy can be your nickname for me," he said.

Hanna smiled. "Okay, so Sketchy is my nickname; no one else can call him that!" she announced loudly. She turned to the bartender. "Can you get us all a round of tequila as per my new friendship here?" she asked, grinning at Caleb. "My new _friendships_ here?" she corrected when Jason looked insulted.

The shots of tequila were soon delivered and distributed. Hanna raised her glass. "A toast to new friendships," Hanna proposed.

The shots of tequila were downed, and soon, Hanna and Aria dragged Jason and Caleb onto the dance floor. Emily, Spencer, and Toby hung back near the bar. Spencer and Emily had Cosmos while Toby had water.

"Who orders water at a bar? Toby, you need to learn to live a little," Emily insisted.

Toby shrugged. "I thought I was going to be the designated driver. And seeing as how no one else is going the sober route, it looks like I'll have to make two trips to get you all home."

Spencer liked how he was being responsible. "Maybe I should stop drinking. We'll probably be here for like another two or three hours…that's enough to sober up from one shot of tequila," Spencer thought aloud. "And I'd feel guilty making you drive everybody home," she said to Toby.

"It's fine, Spencer. I'm used to being the designated driver," Toby insisted.

Spencer had already abandoned her Cosmo and gotten a glass of water. She smiled at Toby. "It's good for me, anyway," she claimed.

* * *

On the dance floor, Hanna was forcing Caleb to dance. "Oh, come on, Sketchy! Your friend Sandy over there is dancing!" she exclaimed.

Sure enough, Aria had gotten Jason to dance with her.

Caleb turned back to Hanna. "You're really good with coming up with nicknames, aren't you?" he asked.

Hanna nodded eagerly. "It's like a God-given talent. Right after picking out clothes and calling who goes home on the Bachelorette."

He groaned.

"Oh, come on, Sketch." It was clear Caleb was not budging. "Can I at least buy you a drink? We can talk," she offered.

He looked at her. Then he looked at the club atmosphere around him. "Don't you think it's kind of loud for talking?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Not here, Sketch. There's this place next door…" she looked at him for a moment. "Oh, let's just go."

Dragging him by the wrist, she led him out of the crowd and out the door.

* * *

"Yogurt? Really?" Caleb asked as he looked at the place in front of him, with the topping bar and self-serve machines.

"Chocolate frozen yogurt is my weakness, and I need something to wet my throat besides tequila," she admitted.

Caleb laughed and followed her. She got chocolate with a bunch of healthy looking things. And cookies. And marshmallows. Lots and lots of marshmallows. Caleb got vanilla with sprinkles. Hanna looked at his unadorned sundae. "You can't be serious. You have all of these flavors and you choose _vanilla? _With _only sprinkles?_" she asked incredulously.

He shrugged. "I'm a simple guy."

She frowned. "I'm _not _a simple girl…" she gave him a flirtatious smile. "But I _do _like a challenge."

As Hanna walked away, Caleb's eyes wandered down to the floor. He hadn't previously noticed how long her legs looked, and…

_Stop it, Caleb! Just look away…_

_But she's so hot…and she seems really nice…_

Caleb shook his head and followed Hanna to the table, where she teasingly crossed her legs and uncrossed them. Caleb discreetly gulped. Hanna smiled in victory. She turned to her frozen yogurt. She licked the spoon provocatively, making Caleb gulp again. She finally decided to stop. But for some reason…she couldn't.

"I am so drunk right now," Hanna finally admitted.

Caleb sighed in relief. She probably wouldn't remember any of this in the morning.

"But I'm not too drunk," she informed him.

_Crap. _

"Do you want to try it? See what you're missing?" she asked. He nodded. Hanna leaned in close to him with a spoonful of her yogurt. About two or three inches away from his lips, she put it in her own mouth. "Too bad. You had that golden opportunity to do whatever the hell you wanted, but you chose _vanilla with sprinkles,_" she said with disgust.

Caleb hung his head in shame, not realizing the alcohol was about to speak for him. "I just wanted to taste your lips."

She froze, not knowing what to say. Caleb didn't even realize what he just said.

She sighed. "Why didn't you just say so, Sketchy?" she asked.

Caleb looked at her in confusion before she pulled him in for a kiss. He kissed her back.

* * *

"Aria! How many times have I told you not to drink the worm?" Spencer inquired as she held back Aria's hair as she threw up.

"I'm sorry, Spence. But after a few shots, I forget about the worm," Aria said before retching again. Spencer groaned.

"I take this as a clear sign that it's time to go," Spencer muttered to herself.

The door opened to the bathroom.

"Spencer? Aria? Are you in here?" Emily's voice called out.

"Yeah, we're in here, Emily," Spencer said as Aria vomited again.

Emily walked over to the stall they were in and winced. "What happened?"

"The worm," Spencer and Aria explained in unison.

Emily groaned. "Oh, Sweetie…" she watched as Aria gagged again. She took Aria's purse and helped Spencer hold back her hair.

When Aria was done, Spencer said, "We should probably go now."

Emily nodded in agreement. Aria shakily stood up, barely balancing on her heels. Emily and Spencer led her out of the bathroom. They looked around and spotted Jason and Toby at the bar. They walked over.

"Where's Hanna and Caleb?" Spencer asked, looking around, but not spotting the svelte, little blonde's head.

Toby shrugged, as did Jason. Aria piped up. "I saw them like an hour ago. They were dancing and then they just disappeared," she explained.

"Where could they have gone?" Spencer asked.

"I'll call Hanna. Let's see if she answers," Emily said as she took out her phone.

* * *

Hanna and Caleb had relocated themselves to a remote corner of the alley between the club and the yogurt place. Hanna pressed her lips forcibly on his lips, while he returned her deep kisses. Hanna finally heard her phone ringing and pulled away.

"Sorry," she apologized. She looked at the phone and saw it was Emily. She answered the call. "Hello?"

"Hanna! Where are you?" Emily inquired immediately.

"Relax, Em. Caleb and I are just outside the club in that alley," she informed her. Within a matter of minutes, the rest of the gang was there.

Those of them sober enough to assess the situation (i.e, not Aria) were taken aback in shock. Caleb turned pink. Hanna acted as though nothing was wrong.

"We should probably go. The tiny one is already wasted," Spencer commented. Aria groaned in response.

Hanna nodded. By now, she was probably sober enough to drive, but knowing Hanna's road rage, there was no way Spencer was taking a risk like that. "Are you okay, Doe?" she asked. Aria glared at her and pressed her palm to her throbbing head.

"We should go," Spencer urged.

Jason, Emily, Toby, Spencer, and an inebriated Aria all headed off. Hanna dragged Caleb back. "One more kiss? Please?" she asked sweetly.

He pecked her on the lips and Hanna smiled, dragging him back up to speed with the group.

"Okay, honey, I'm going to lift you up. Once I put you down, you have to let go. I know you like to cling, but make sure you let go, okay?" Spencer said slowly to Aria. Aria was cradled in Spencer's arms. Her eyes were closed and she looked like a tiny, sleeping angel.

"Promise me something, Spencie?" she asked as Spencer placed her in the back seat.

"What is it?" Spencer inquired.

"Can I be a bridesmaid at your wedding? I want to wear the ugliest, puffiest dress ever and throw petals right before you go and kiss him…" Aria informed Spencer.

Spencer laughed. "Of course you can. But Aria?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you let go of my hair?"

"But it's so soft and pretty and shiny…."

"Aria."

Obediently, Aria let go of Spencer's hair. As Spencer climbed in the front seat right next to Hanna—who was already texting Caleb—Aria stirred.

"Spencer and Toby will have the cutest little babies ever…one of them is going to be named Victoria Tiara Cavanaugh. And the other one is going to be named…Riley." Aria giggled, as if she was hearing the silliness of what she was saying.

Hanna snickered next to Spencer. "Are you going to tell the daddy about Victoria and Riley?" she teased.

Spencer rolled her eyes. Secretly, though, she thought it was funny.

* * *

_So don't forget to review, and I will try my hardest to update very soon! __**-Kayson**_


	5. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note: **__As a disclaimer, I am warning you in advance that you are going to HATE Andrew after this chapter. At least, I hope you do. Regardless, this chapter is a little more filler, but some important things are established. There are also a couple of funny moments in this chapter (and if they aren't funny to you, it's clear now that my sense of humor sucks)._

* * *

**Chapter Four**

"Spencer, you don't have to go home alone if you don't want to. I know how—" Hanna began.

"I'm fine," Spencer interrupted curtly.

"You don't have to pretend things are okay, Spence. I can stay if you want me to."

Spencer shook her head insistently. "I'm okay. Andrew will be at the house when I get there."

Hanna looked into Spencer's brown eyes. "That's what I'm afraid of."

"Goodnight, Hanna," Spencer said sharply. Hanna quickly got out of Spencer's car.

Spencer sighed as she began to drive back home. She grew anxious with each second that she got closer to her house.

She attempted to walk quietly into the house, but jumped when the kitchen lights flickered on. She turned around, scared, and saw Andrew standing there.

"Where were you, Spence?" he asked. There was no friendliness in his voice. It wasn't exactly contempt or disdain, either; perhaps it was his own fear.

"N-nowhere. I just went out with some friends," she insisted, turning as if to go up the stairs. He quickly questioned her again.

"Which friends?"

"Andrew—"

"Spencer."

Spencer sighed, biting her lip, also knowing she was not getting out of this. "Aria, Hanna, my new friend Emily, and some other friends…friends of Emily and Hanna…" she trailed off, trying to find an escape route.

"Guy friends," Andrew concluded.

"They're just friends, Andrew. And I'm marrying you, aren't I?" Spencer asked sharply. She walked passed a stolid Andrew and up the stairs. "Good night."

Before she could reach the top of the stairs, Andrew called after her. "Don't walk away, Spencer," he warned her. Spencer could feel her heartbeat hasten. She was praying for mercy right now and hoped to have a quick euthanasia or at least slip into an unconscious state due to arrhythmia.

She cautiously turned around and braced herself for the inevitable. She avoided looking into Andrew's eyes. He grabbed her by the wrist, which she pulled away from him. "Spencer!"

She gulped. He guided her eyes up to his. His hand was on her chin. "Don't do that again. I love you, but don't do that."

Spencer winced at the stench on his breath. "Have you been drinking, Andrew?" she asked quietly.

"Don't ask me that!" In a flash, Andrew had slapped her. Spencer was on the ground. She touched her cheek where he had just slapped her. This was the first time that he had ever touched her in such a way.

"M-maybe I should sleep downstairs today," Spencer suggested.

"No. You won't," Andrew told her.

Spencer looked down sheepishly. "Then, I won't."

Andrew, content with himself, passed Spencer up on his way to their bedroom. "Don't keep me waiting too long, Spence," he reminded her.

"N-no. I won't," she answered.

* * *

"Spencer! What happened to your face?" Hanna asked.

Spencer touched the side of her face, where there was a tiny purple bruise. Other than that, it had just turned red, but it still stung when Spencer touched it. "Nothing happened. I hit myself by accident."

"Doing what?" Hanna pressed.

"I don't remember," Spencer answered meekly.

"That's a goddamn lie, Spence. You know it. We know it. Did Andrew _hit you_?" Hanna inquired, taken aback.

Spencer shook her head. "No. He didn't hurt me…he wouldn't lay a hand on me," Spencer said. "He's the best man I've ever dated…he didn't hurt me," she repeated, softer now.

"Not if he's going to hit you," Hanna said.

Spencer took a deep breath. "It's only ever happened once…and I was being nasty. Maybe I deserved it?" she said, looking for a way to justify this.

"Nobody deserves to get abused!" Hanna exclaimed.

"I'm not being abused, Hanna. Everybody gets angry. You slapped people before, and it wasn't abuse." Looking at Hannakins, Spencer decided that she was unconvinced. "I'll tell you guys if it happens again. But this is just a phase. It'll pass," she assured her.

It was clear that Hanna wasn't convinced, but decided to leave it at that; it was probably a better idea to leave things be than to push Spencer at such a trying time.

* * *

"Toby Cavanaugh! You're blushing!" Emily smiled.

Toby rolled his eyes, but he could not hide his obvious blush.

Caleb also laughed at Toby. "You're in love. Don't try and deny it because the three of us know that it's true," he informed a red Toby.

"I, for one, think that Spencer and Toby would make a beautiful couple. And so would you and Hanna," Emily teased.

It was Caleb's turn to be red.

Toby did not miss the chance to tease Caleb back. "You're in love with Hanna," he sing-songed. "You want to be her boyfriend."

"Serenading her with that song may actually guarantee you bringing Hanna's number up one. She's got a major crush on the Biebs…and his hair," Emily commented.

"Thanks, Em," Caleb mumbled.

"Don't mention it. But if you decide to bring her back to your apartment, make sure I'm not there. That girl is loud and very verbal," Emily added.

Toby and Caleb both looked at her curiously. "How do you know that, Emily?" Toby inquired curiously.

Finally, it was Emily's turn to become pink. "I was her roommate in college and she was very loud with…certain people."

"Would that include you?" Toby asked.

"Should I be jealous?" Caleb teased.

Emily sighed and rolled her eyes. "All you need to know is…she likes it when people bite her."

Caleb raised an eyebrow. "Is there anything else I should know about Hanna?" he inquired.

"She likes to be the dominant one. If you're doing it BDSM-style, at least," Emily said, her lips moving before her brain really thought it over.

"Have you slept with anyone else, Em?" Toby asked curiously.

Emily scoffed. "Don't worry, Toby. Spencer is straight as an arrow," she assured him. "And her type is guys who have a lot of muscle, which, lucky for you, you have."

"Thanks?"

* * *

Aria woke up to the aroma of coffee filling the unfamiliar room. She could barely remember what happened the previous night. She was lying in an unfamiliar bed, but the black satin sheets felt lovely on her bare skin.

_Where the hell am I? And why am I naked under these sheets? Oh, god, Aria! Did you do what I think you did?_

Aria looked around the room for obvious signs that the solicited sex for money, or the other way around. _Nope, nothing. Thank goodness._

Aria touched the sheets, which felt seductive in themselves, when a figure stood at the doorway. She looked up at the person. The face was familiar, but for some reason, she couldn't peg a name on him.

"Morning, Sunshine," he said to her.

She looked around again, and then to his tauntingly beautiful, shirtless torso. "What happened last night?" she inquired.

"You don't remember?" he questioned. Aria shook her head. "You spent the night…and we…" he trailed off, implying what Aria thought had happened.

Aria shook her head. "You'd think I'd remember that…"

"I saw you struggling to open your apartment door last night, so I invited you into my apartment. I wasn't as drunk as you, but we were both pretty wasted. Then again, I didn't drink a worm," he teased.

Aria shook her head. "I always do that. Man, Spencer is always right." Aria sighed to herself. She looked at him again. "Who are you?"

"You really don't remember anything. I have never met anyone who has gotten that drunk."

Aria rolled her eyes. "I binge drink from time to time. You're only young once, Grandpa," she teased.

"I'm pretty sure that you said the 'you're only young once' part about seven times last night. The 'Grandpa' bit? I didn't hear any complaints last night," he informed her.

"You still didn't answer my question. Who are you?"

"Jason. I'm Toby's friend. Hanna's friend Emily's friend?" Jason said, trying to jog her memory.

"Oh!" Aria shouted. "I remember now. You're the guy with Ryan Gosling's hair and a model's face!" Aria exclaimed.

Jason squinted his eyes at her. "I don't know if that's a compliment or not."

Aria gasped. "Have you never seen _The Notebook_? That's like the best compliment a guy can ever get from a girl," she informed him.

Jason flashed his pearly whites in a smile. "Then, thank you."

"But really. What did we actually do last night?" Aria asked bluntly.

Jason thought for a moment. "I'm pretty sure we were both too drunk to realize what we're doing because I don't remember any of it. All I know is that I woke up, naked, cuddling with you, who, in case you haven't noticed, is also naked," Jason said.

Aria looked down at herself. "I promise I don't have any STDs, but…oh, god…" she trailed off. Jason looked kind of worried.

Jason took a seat next to Aria. "What happened?"

"I'm ovulating…and if we didn't use a condom, then…"

_Holy crap._

Aria smiled at a bright new thought. "Wait a second. Just because we had sex while I was ovulating doesn't mean that I'm pregnant, right?" she asked optimistically.

"No?" Jason asked, not knowing a thing about the female reproductive system.

Aria scowled. "Which means I have to wait until I'm supposed to get my period. Crap."

Jason was just as confused as Aria was upon waking up. "In the meantime, do you want coffee?"

Aria smiled at the thought. "Sure thing." She began to get up, only then remembering that she was naked. "But let me put some clothes on, first. Don't look!" she scolded.

"Come on, Aria. It's not like it's anything that I haven't seen before," Jason reminded her.

"We were both too drunk to understand that we were naked. So either leave or turn around!"

Jason sighed and rolled his eyes, turning around. When he glanced over his shoulder, he was met with a aggressive "No peeking!" from Aria.

Jason sighed and turned around.

"I so don't get this. We are not the ones who were supposed to go home together. It was supposed to be Spencer and Toby. Screw Spencer's abusive, annoying, conniving bastard of a fiancé. She belongs with Toby. Or at the very least, she belongs with me…" Aria pouted.

Jason turned around, completely abandoning Aria's "no peeking" rule, which, to his dissatisfaction, didn't matter since she was already dressed. "What do you mean, 'abusive'?" he inquired with piqued interest.

Aria kicked herself in the face. "Okay, if I tell you, you can't tell anyone, Jason," she warned. He was waiting for an explanation, and she finally succumbed to him. "The other week, I met with Spencer for coffee. I didn't question it, but she had a support on her hand, like the kind you would wear after hurting your wrist playing basketball or something. And she had this weird purplish bruise right here," she explained, touching the area around her ear, on the side of her face. "And the week before, she had marks on her arm. She's being abused," she insisted.

Jason bit his lip, unsure of how to respond. "You haven't confronted her about it?" he asked.

Aria shook her head in shame. "I don't know how to. If I say anything, she's going to get really touchy and cagey about it; I know Spencer. What do I do?"

Wasn't that the golden question.

* * *

_So please let me know how I did and review/follow/favorite! Next chapter we will see a little bit more of actual Spencer and Toby (as it's what most of the chapter is centered around). __**-Kayson**_


	6. Chapter 5

**_Author's Note: _**_Let me start off by saying I am very very sorry to keep you guys waiting! But I've been dealing with some writer's block lately and haven't really been able to write much for this story and for my other story. Since my other fanfiction is coming to a close within (I estimate, if I can kick this stupid writers' block) about a month or so._

* * *

**Chapter Five**

Spencer sat in front of her vanity table. She brushed her hair, so not a single hair was out of place or tangled with another. She froze when she saw Andrew's image appear in the mirror behind her. She didn't turn around, but dropped what she was doing. She breathed a sigh of relief when Andrew seemed to return to his normal self.

She basked in his attention and seemingly good mood. Andrew wrapped his arms around Spencer. "Are we still going out tonight?" he inquired.

Spencer's mind raced for a moment, recalling how she had promised Aria to watch a movie, but making a mental note to tell her she couldn't come. Aria would understand. However, after Andrew's drunken episode the previous night, she wasn't quite sure he would. She nodded. "Where are we going?" she asked, putting in her diamond earrings.

"It's a surprise," he promised her.

Spencer couldn't help but smile. She slid on her engagement ring, reminding her that she had already made a promise to Andrew for the rest of her life. She watched his reflection in the mirror. Andrew kissed her softly on the temple, before leaving the room. Spencer sighed. She was already regretting her decision to marry him. What would it be like in a few months' time? What about in a year, when they were married? Marriage was a life commitment.

* * *

"You and Spencer are _so _cute, Toby," Hanna commented, plucking a strawberry off of her pile. Her lips were already stained a pretty red color from the fruit.

"You know who else is cute, Hanna?" Toby asked. Hanna shook her head. "You and Caleb," he teased.

Hanna rolled her eyes. "Not as cute as you and Spencer," she assured him.

Toby opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, the door to his apartment opened. He turned around and they all spotted Caleb.

"Hey, Sketchy," Emily said, teasing Hanna at the same time.

Hanna's cheeks soon changed colors to match the shade of red on her lips. Caleb couldn't help but look at her beautiful, full, strawberry-red lips. He shook out of it.

"Hey, Em," he answered coyly. "Hey Hanna, Toby."

Toby didn't look at him, but instead teased him by saying, "Hey, you might want to pick your jaw off the floor. And you might need to do something about your blush. Your face is as red as Hanna's lips."

Hanna let out a giggle, and Caleb blushed even more. "I think it's cute," she assured him.

Emily laughed. "I'm going to go outside. I'm finding it really awkward watching you two eye-sex each other," she said bluntly. Emily turned and went on the balcony with her book.

"I'm going to get coffee for all of us. I'm out. I'll be back soon." And with that, Toby grabbed his keys off the island and walked out, leaving Hanna and Caleb on their own.

Breaking the silence, Hanna moved the bowl of strawberries to Caleb. "They're really sweet. Do you want one?"

* * *

"Hello, Spencer. The usual?" the barista at the Rear Window Brew asked Spencer. Her name was Kimia. She was a thin brunette with several music lyric tattoos on her body.

Spencer smiled to see her there. "Yes. And a blueberry scone, please," she ordered.

"Coming right up."

Spencer fidgeted and looked at the albums up front at the coffee shop, standing away from the counter. Before long, she noticed that her scone and coffee were being given to her. However, they were not handed to her by the tattooed hands of Kimia. They were handed to her by callused, yet gentle hands. She looked up. It was Toby.

"The barista asked me to give this to you," he informed her, his blue eyes kind.

She took them out of his hands, barely containing her blush. She could've sworn she felt electricity in between their fingertips, as cliché as it sounds. She jumped very slightly, but smiled at him. "Thanks. Do you want to sit down?"

The question lingered in Toby's mind for a moment. If it were anybody else except for Spencer, he probably would've said no. But he just couldn't shake this feeling he got around Spencer, which, dare he say, he had never gotten around anyone else in his life. "Sure."

They sat down in the nearest booth. Toby had gotten his own coffee. Spencer felt a little awkward, not knowing what to say.

After about thirty seconds of a long, awkward silence, Spencer spoke. "So how did you meet Hanna and Emily?" she asked.

"I've known Emily forever. We grew up next door to each other, but we really became friends during high school. I was the first person she told about her sexuality, and I was the first person to really see what was happening with her."

Spencer looked for more. Was there something she didn't know?

Catching Spencer's intrigue, he elaborated: "I had a step-sister once. Her name was Jenna. She was bisexual, and she got so much grief for it in high school that she…killed herself. People just wouldn't accept that she was who she was. She felt like there was no one else who understood or cared about her."

Spencer choked a little. "I'm so sorry, Toby," she said softly.

"Anyway, when I met Emily and she confided in me about it, I was scared something like that would happen to her, too. I didn't want to lose another person over something so petty as people being ignorant," Toby explained.

Spencer nodded in agreement.

Toby laughed, recalling a memory. "I remember the moment that I realized Emily was my best friend. I think it was during my senior year; she was a junior. Some ex of hers—a guy—started calling her offensive names in front of everybody. I punched him so hard his nose started bleeding. It was the first time I ever got in trouble at school. Emily said I was an idiot; I told her I would do it again for her, any day of the week."

Spencer smiled. _He really is a good person. Those are good qualities in a friend. HE'S YOUR FRIEND, SPENCER!_

"I met Hanna around the same time that Emily did. I think we went on one date, but we both decided we were better off as friends," he continued.

"And Jason and Caleb?" she asked.

"I've known Jason since high school. He was in my class. I met Caleb in college. We had a math class together and he was the only person in my class who actually knew what they were doing and didn't get on my last nerves," he explained.

Spencer laughed. "That's nice. What did they do?"

"There were a lot of ditzy girls in my class. One of them asked what a diagonal was," he added.

Spencer looked at him, trying to tell whether or not he was kidding. "You're not serious, are you? In a _college _math class?"

He nodded. "I wish I could say I was joking."

Spencer laughed.

"What about you. How did you meet your friends?" he asked curiously.

She sighed. "Aria and I have known each other forever. We've been best friends since we played together in Kindergarten. Hanna moved to Rosewood in middle school, and we've been friends ever since then," Spencer explained. "And I met Emily through Hanna, but I think you already knew that."

Toby nodded. He smiled at Spencer, who smiled back. For some reason, he couldn't get that stupid grin off his face.

* * *

Two hours later, Spencer and Toby were sitting in the exact same place, but there was more laughter. Both were so reluctant to leave that neither even brought it up. The hours and the sunlight began to dwindle down, and Spencer didn't even check her watch. It wasn't before she realized the midday rush had completely gone and they were stuck in that period where people typically eat dinner.

Dinner. Crap.

Spencer remembered that she was supposed to have a dinner with Andrew.

"What time is it?" she asked nervously.

Toby glanced at his phone. "It's a quarter to six."

Spencer bit down on her lip. "Shit. I'm sorry, Toby, but I have to go. It was nice seeing you again," she said as she prepared to leave.

"Wait, Spencer!" Spencer stopped in her tracks at the sound of Toby's voice. "Maybe we can hang out again sometime?" he asked hopefully.

She smiled. She leaned over, grabbing one of the brown paper napkins. She took out a pen from her bag and wrote down her phone number, writing her name below it. "Call me," she said.

Toby watched her leave. It took him a few minutes before he realized how deep he was buried in all of this. _Oh, crap. What did you get yourself into?_

* * *

"Look who finally decided to show their face," Emily said as she walked into Toby's apartment as he walked through the front door. "No coffee, either."

Toby stopped. He had completely forgotten the actual reason he went to the coffee shop. "Oh. I'm sorry, Emily. I just ran into Spencer, and we were talking about—"

Emily's smirk as he said Spencer's name stopped Toby. "What?"

Emily shook her head. "Nothing. But you're just really cute when you talk about Spencer. You're in love. This is such a problem, but I can't stop thinking about how cute yours and Spencer's babies would look now," she commented.

Toby didn't know what to say about that. "Have you been talking to Hanna?"

She nodded. "Of course. And Caleb, too. We all agreed that your babies would be so cute. The little girl would be beautiful because Spencer is gorgeous. The boy would be handsome because you're awesome. And that child would probably be the sweetest, most loving and loved kid in the world because it was your child," she explained.

"You've really got this all planned out, don't you?"

Emily nodded. "But, don't worry. I didn't plan your wedding. Hanna did. She gave Spencer the most gorgeous, Spencer-ish dress possible. And the way she described everything would make it the best wedding ever. Hanna is a genius when it comes to this stuff," she said before getting up. She got her bag and prepared to leave.

Toby thought about that for a minute. "Hey, Emily?"

Emily turned to face him. She waited expectantly for a question. "Yes, Toby?"

"What were the kids' names?" he asked curiously.

She smiled. Even _Toby_, one of the most stubborn people he knew, wanted to know about this. Clearly, he was hoping for it someday, too. "The little girls' name was Charisma. It means blessing. And the boy's name was Joshua. We called him Josh for short. But Hanna prefers the nickname Joshie," she explained with a smile.

Toby thought about it as and after Emily left. _Charisma and Josh? Huh. _

* * *

_I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'll admit that it wasn't the easiest thing to write, and it was really more fluff. In fact, this story is pretty fluffy as a whole (for those of you who read FMN, it's not going to get nearly as angst-y as that story). Next chapter, we will see some scheming from Aria and Hanna, and I'll also put those rumors to rest (more or less) about what happens with Jaria (and whether little miss Montgomery's little figure is about to get a lot bigger). We'll also see a little bit more of Andrew and Spencer's relationship. I feel like I haven't given you guys enough of that. I will try to update quicker this time around, but I'm not making any promises! __**-Kayson**_


	7. Chapter 6

**_Author's Note: _**_Sorry about the wait! But my other story (at the moment) is my bigger priority, and since there are only about five more chapters+an epilogue of that story, soon, I will probably begin updating more frequently._

_But please enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

**Chapter Six**

Spencer tried to sneak into the house as quietly as she could. Yet again, she failed. The lights came on in the house. _Damn! Does he have bats' ears or something?_

She slowly looked up at him. She was drenched. Somehow, on her way home, she managed to get caught in a monsoon. She looked like a drowned, harassed rat. And clearly, she was being greeted now not by a cheery, loving fiancé, but by a nervous, jealous, and overbearing one. Yes, Honey, Andrew was mighty jealous. This would mean no end in sight for Spencer, and she wasn't even fully aware of what she had done wrong.

Well, she was. She had missed their date, and for no good reason, either. She'd be mad at herself, too.

Spencer looked sadly at Andrew. "I'm sorry, Andrew. I just lost track of time, and I—"

Andrew shook his head. "It's fine, Spence," he insisted.

She stared at him for a moment. She shook her head. "No, it's not fine. I missed our date. I'll make it up to you, somehow," she promised.

And boy, did she feel she had a lot to make up for. She felt though she was emotionally cheating on Andrew with a person she had known for about a week and a half.

"I'll be ready in about half an hour if you still want to go out," Spencer called.

The door clicked closed eerily to their bedroom. Spencer dreaded this. She already feared that this was how it would be; this much distance would be omnipresent in their household. It was. Was a piece of paper really going to change all of that?

Spencer plopped down on her bed with a sigh. She looked on her desk and saw a to-go coffee cup and brown paper napkins. She sighed, picking them both up. She tossed the cup. She stared at the napkins. As silly and cliché as it was, she thought of Toby. For some reason, she just placed them back down and continued to shuffle through the closet.

* * *

Hanna was lying down in her apartment with her cell phone in hand. She was speaking to Aria at the moment. "We so majorly need to talk about Spence. This is a dilemma; a BIG quandary."

Aria, in her room, was amused. She rubbed her stomach. "When did you start using such big words, Han?" she asked.

Hanna shrugged and sighed. "One day I just got really bored and read a dictionary. I wanted to use some big words on Spencer one day and see what happens. I think that she might have a nervy conniption. Or should I say, nerdy conniption."

Aria laughed. Her feet were propped up on the wall in her bedroom.

"Can I come over?" Hanna asked, a pout taking over her face.

"Sure."

Just as Hanna was about to hang up, Aria got her. "Wait, Hanna!"

"What?"

"Can you stop by the corner store and pick up a pint of Phish Food?"

Hanna groaned. "Fine. But you're really lucky you're cute," she grumbled.

Aria smiled. "Oh, and while you're at it, can you get a pregnancy test?" she called out, hoping Hanna heard.

Hanna gasped. "Aria! When I get to your house, we are talking about this, little miss!" she scolded, as if she were Aria's mother.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Hanna walked through the door. She opened the freezer and placed in a pint of Phish Food while leaving one out. Aria already had two spoons. Hanna took out a brown paper bag which held the pregnancy test. Aria reached out for it.

"Ah, ah!" Hanna scolded, pulling it away from her. "You're not getting this until you spill. Which means that you're not eating your Phish Food until you talk."

Aria pouted.

"The Phish are melting. Tick, tock. I'm nearly as stubborn as Spencer."

Aria quickly grabbed the test out of Hanna's hand, dashing away with it in one quick move.

"Hey!" Hanna followed her into the bathroom. Aria groaned when she saw Hanna in the bathroom with her.

"So are you going to dish?" she asked.

Aria rolled her eyes. "I don't kiss and tell, Hanna."

Hanna didn't stifle her laugh. "That was a good joke, Aria. Now tell me, you slut."

"You're not getting closer to the bacon," Aria informed Hanna."

"Just spill it, Bitch."

"That's not really a term of endearment, and you're not getting any closer so…I'll pass," Aria said. Hanna groaned in irritation.

Hanna frowned. "You can't even tell me who it was? When? Why? Are you dating someone?" she asked eagerly and curiously.

"I wasn't aware we started a game of twenty questions," she retorted.

"You're so mean to me, Miss Montgomery."

Aria looked away from Hanna. "Fine. It was that night I got really wasted. When we were with Spencer, Emily, Jason, Caleb, and Toby?" Hanna nodded. "I was really drunk and I kind of sort of…stumbled into Jason's apartment and we had sex," she explained.

Hanna gasped. Her eyes were wide and shocked. "You and Jason? I would've thought me and Caleb or maybe even Spencer and Toby, but _you and Jason? _Oh my god!" Her face then fell. "Do you realize that everyone is getting laid except for the two people who need to get laid, like, right now?"

"You did it with Caleb?" Aria asked, her voice not really surprised.

"We got this close," Hanna began, her thumb and index finger a centimeter apart for good measure, "to doing it, but _you _interrupted. God, it's always the little people who make the best birth control methods; the normal size people are too scared to corrupt your innocence, so we have to abstain altogether, no matter how hard we want to—"

The timer went off for the test, interrupting Hanna mid-sentence.

"OKAY, Hanna. Let's see," Aria said, cutting Hanna off. Nervously, they both peeked down at the test. Aria was about to flip out. It was positive.

* * *

Spencer waited in slight fear for Andrew to stop pacing the floor. She looked down at her diamond engagement ring. _It's just so pretty…_

"This is exactly why I wanted to have dinner with you tonight, Spence. You've just been so distant lately," Andrew said finally.

Spencer shrugged. "I know, but it doesn't help when you're always out at another meeting. And when you're here…you're not here," she said softly.

"I'm trying my best!" he exclaimed. Spencer jumped. He sighed and sat down next to her. "What are we going to do?" he asked.

Spencer turned to him and took his hand. "I love you, Andrew. Just because I'm getting new friends…it doesn't mean that I love you any less than I did before. I'm still marrying you." She looked at him, expecting something. "We are still getting married right?"

Her heart stopped for a tiny moment. "Of course we are," he said.

She kissed him once, but she didn't feel much. "So are you still up for dinner?" she asked hopefully.

Andrew sighed. "I think maybe we both just need time to ourselves. Maybe you can invite Hanna over. I'm going out with my friends."

Andrew left the house. The sharp tone in his voice still rang in Spencer's ears even after she left. She wasn't sure whether it was her vulnerable state, or just because she was in no mood for hearing Hanna criticize her choice in men, she called someone new.

"Hey, Emily. This is Spencer. I know we really haven't gotten a chance to really talk, but I'd really like to know you," Spencer said, already feeling as though she sounded stupid. "Maybe if you're not doing anything, we could meet up tonight."

Spencer hung up the phone and tossed it aside, falling back onto the large couch. She looked up at the ceiling. _Is this how it's going to be for the rest of our lives?_

* * *

Aria didn't stop pacing around her apartment. Hanna was seated at her kitchen table. Aria was really nervous.

"What am I supposed to do, Hanna?" she asked nervously.

"You have to tell Jason. Secrets grow just like babies, and you can't do this alone."

Aria shot her a look. "Thanks, Hanna. That's really helpful. What am I supposed to do if it's true?" Aria inquired.

Hanna was insistent. "Tell Jason! He seemed like a nice guy," she said.

"All guys seem like nice guys when you're drinking alcohol. What do I say? 'I know I just met you and we sort of had drunk sex one night, but I'm carrying your child'? How do you say that to someone, Hanna?" Aria asked furiously.

"I don't know, okay? I've never really been in the same vote, so I can't really offer you any advice," Hanna said snippily. "I'm sorry, Aria, but if you are carrying a baby inside that tiny tummy of yours…you're going to need help."

Aria sighed and sat down next to Hanna. "I know. Hanna, I'm so scared. What if he says that he doesn't want anything to do with this?"

"Are you sure that it's Jason's?"

Aria nodded. "I haven't had sex with anyone else in four months. I think I would've known if I was pregnant for four months," she said.

Hanna hugged Aria tightly. Aria was shaking.

* * *

Emily looked at her phone. She was a mess. She had just broken up with her girlfriend of three years, and now she was all alone. She glanced and saw that she had a missed call. She expected it to be Toby or Hanna or even Caleb. She was surprised when she saw it was Spencer. She didn't even listen to the message, but just called her back.

"Hello?" Spencer answered.

"Hi, Spencer. You called me. Is something wrong?" she asked uncomfortably. Spencer and Emily weren't exactly friends; they were more like friendly acquaintances.

Spencer sighed. "I just wanted to talk to you. I just want someone with an…" she trailed off, thinking of the right words, and finding one, "open mind to give me some advice. And Toby says that you're great at giving advice," she said.

Emily let out a little laugh. "Okay. Give me like thirty minutes and we can meet up."

Spencer agreed and hung up. She just really couldn't wait to talk to someone who was not involved in this whole scenario whatsoever.

* * *

Emily pulled up to the place where she and Spencer decided to meet at. She tried to fix and compose herself, still feeling vulnerable after her breakup with Paige.

Reluctantly, she stepped out and into the bar and grille. She saw Spencer sitting at a booth, alone, waiting for her.

Taking a deep breath, Emily gathered what little she had of her pride and walked over to her.

"Hey, Emily," she said, trying to break up the awkwardness.

"Hey, Spencer," she said as she settled herself. "Did you want to talk about something?" she asked.

Spencer shrugged. "You're just…really nice and I'd like to get to know you." Emily smiled at her. Spencer looked concerned. "But you look like you have something on your mind. What's wrong?"

Emily shook her head. "It's no big deal…it's just…my girlfriend and I just broke up today. We were dating for three years," she said.

Spencer's eyes were wide. "What? Emily! Of course, it's a big deal!" she exclaimed. "It's okay to be sad," she informed her.

"I know, but…you're the one who invited me here. I assumed you wanted to talk about something."

"No," Spencer lied. "Just about us getting to know each other. Right now, though, you could either suppress what you're really feeling, or you can tell me all about it and know that I'm all ears."

Suddenly, the offer seemed enticing to Emily. She began to speak, and Spencer listened intently. For a moment, Emily felt that instead of her deep chocolate eyes staring intently at her, they were soft, blue ones.

* * *

_So now, I have a question to ask you guys. What kind of music do you think that Spencer and Toby would both listen to? If you know the lyrics to Taylor Swift's song "Begin Again", she talks about her owning a lot of James Taylor records, but somehow, Spencer doesn't strike me as that kind of girl. So when you leave a review (which I hope you will), please let me know about that topic! __**-Kayson**_


	8. Chapter 7

_**Author's Note: **__I am finally updating! This is Chapter Seven (even though it comes up as Chapter Eight). This one is like totally Spoby (without it really being Spoby) and some Spanna. I just adore Hanna and Spencer so much. They're so cute. They're like...cookies and cream. Spencer is the badass cookie and Hanna is the sweet, fluffy cream. I just made myself confused with that analogy, but whatever. Here's chapter seven!_

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

Spencer woke up the next morning. Her hand stretched out, looking for her fiancé, but only touching the cool cotton sheets. She couldn't help but feel disappointed. Andrew _always _did this when they got into a disagreement. Some part of Spencer was holding out for change, but she feared that this would never happen.

Disappointed, Spencer got up and went to make herself coffee. Her phone began to ring just as she sat down and began reading. She was a little agitated, but figured it must've been Andrew and was hopeful. For some reason, she was even more excited when she saw it was Toby calling.

Spencer attempted to keep all the excitement out of her voice. She answered as coyly as she possibly could. "Hello?"

"Hey, Spencer. It's Toby," he said.

Spencer smiled to herself, but her voice stayed as calm as ever. "Hey, Toby. What's up?"

"I just wanted to know if…maybe you wanted to meet. It was really great talking the other day. I really enjoyed talking to you," Toby responded.

Spencer couldn't keep herself from smiling like an idiot. "It was nice talking to you, too. Did you want to meet today?"

Toby sounded surprised, like he wasn't expecting her to say yes. Frankly, Spencer didn't quite understand why. He was a lovely person. "Well…I…I…today works for me," he said finally, stuttering initially.

"Great. Do you want to meet at a diner? Five-ish? I know this great spot on the outskirts of Rosewood. It's called Alison's Diner," she said hopefully.

After hanging up on Toby, Spencer smiled and began to prepare for this non-date date.

_Spencer! You're engaged._

_You're right…but Andrew is being an ass. It wouldn't hurt to make him just a little jealous._

_…point taken._

Spencer sighed as she stepped into the shower and let the scalding hot water wash away all her reservations about this.

She shuffled through her wardrobe, looking for something to wear when the doorbell rang. Using the security system that Andrew had gotten, she saw it was Hanna.

"Come in, Han!" she shouted as she opened the door for Hanna.

Seconds later, the bubbly blonde walked into Spencer and Andrew's room and saw Spencer in the closet. "Hey, Spence. What are you doing?" she asked.

Spencer groaned. "I'm looking for something to wear. I'm meeting Toby."

Hanna gasped. Spencer stared at her blankly. "What?" she asked.

Hanna shook her head. "Nothing, but…good little Spencer is going on a _date _when she already has a _fiancé_?_" _she asked in shock.

Spencer rolled her eyes. "It is not a date. It's just…two friends meeting for dinner at a diner," she insisted.

"Whatever. It's a date, Spence."

"Is not!"

"It totally is!"

"Is not!"

"Is not!"

"It is!"

Hanna stared at Spencer in victory. Spencer glared at her. "I see what you did there. I hate you," she growled. Hanna simply laughed. She looked in Spencer's closet. Spencer stepped aside, letting Hanna work her magic.

After a minute or two of searching, Hanna pulled out a red sundress. "Be bold, Spencer. I promise you, it'll be worth it," she promised as she thrust the dress into Spencer's hands. She got closer to Spencer, whispering as if someone could hear them. "And between you and me, I already know that you're trying to impress him. I assure you: this dress _will _impress him."

Spencer glared at Hanna, but changed into it anyway. Hanna waited outside, looking around the couple's bedroom as she waited. She looked around Andrew's bookcase. _Wow, he's more anal than Spencer. Here, I thought it wasn't possible. _She picked up a book at random. It looked nerdy and fat and stuff. _Great Expectations. Interesting. _She shifted the book from hand to hand. Out slipped a piece of paper. She picked it up and saw that it was a phone number with the name "Andrea" written above it. There was only ever one time where she found a phone number with a girl's name on it in a boyfriend's pocket or something. Suffice to say, that was _not _Hanna's boyfriend anymore, and they were never getting back together. _Hold up! What is this bastard doing behind Spencer's back?!_

"Hanna! Can you zip it up for me?" she heard Spencer call from the closet. Hanna jumped and placed the book down, taking the phone number anyway. This boy had some 'splanin' to do.

Once Spencer was all ready and everything, Hanna's feels were swelling. She was witnessing the beginnings of a power couple. Now, she just had to remove that one person from the equation…

"Have fun, Spencer," Hanna prompted.

Spencer smiled. "Thanks, Hanna."

* * *

Spencer nervously walked into the diner. Truth be told, she expected Toby to be late, so she was surprised to see him waving towards Spencer in a booth in the back. She smiled and walked over to him.

"Hey," she greeted, still smiling brightly.

"Hey. It's good to see you again," he said.

She smiled. "You too. I just feel like we should finally get to talk to each other without the fancy cheeses or the really loud, obnoxious, and terrible music between us," she joked.

He laughed. "So you thought it was terrible, too?" Toby asked.

She nodded. "I hate bubblegum pop," she told him.

"What kind of music do you like?" he asked. Spencer shrugged. He gave her a look. "You can't just not know what kind of music you like."

She shrugged. "Indie rock? Alternative rock? I definitely don't like bubblegum pop. It's too…" she began, searching for the right word.

"Mainstream?" he offered.

She nodded. Her eyes trailed off to the paper placemat which was on the table, in front of her. She noticed on Toby's that there were drawings. And they were good.

"What are those?" Spencer asked curiously.

He stammered, "Oh, um…they're just…drawings." He cursed himself silently. How could he be so stupid around Spencer? He had all the subtlety of a neon sign at the moment.

"They're good," she commented absentmindedly. Before she could witness Toby's reaction, she began solving the crossword puzzle on the paper mat. She was good at them.

Toby watched her in amusement. He was okay at crosswords, but she was better. Much better. "You're pretty good at crossword puzzles," he said finally.

She looked up at him and smiled. "Well, I'm a genius at Scrabble. I've been solving crosswords since I was eight years old," she explained. She smiled deviously. "Even the Sunday ones."

He grinned. "Ooh. You must be amazing. You solved the _Sunday _ones."

They both exchanged a laugh. Only then, Spencer noticed the coffee beside her. She noted it as Toby raised his own cup to his lips. "Thanks for getting me coffee," she said as she took notice.

"You're welcome."

Spencer shyly went back to her crossword puzzle.

* * *

"So what do you do now?" Spencer asked as she poured a fifth cup of coffee. Toby promptly took it away from her. She glared at him.

"I think you've had enough, Spencer."

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "This liquid heaven is how I made it through my senior year in high school. I ran on, like, four hours of sleep every night," she explained.

He winced. "I really don't think that's a good thing."

She sighed. "Well, whatever. I'm perfectly fine now."

He shook his head dismissively. "You asked me what I do. I'm an architect."

She seemed impressed. "That would explain why you're so good at drawing. You're gifted."

Toby smiled. "Thanks. Some people think it's stupid, but…I like it," he told her.

"You're good at it. And if you love it, that's the best. I had a job that I hated when I first got out of college, so I quit. And now, I'm not doing anything. I've been looking for something that I really enjoy doing, but my fiancé suggested I live a life of leisure since there's no real need for more money," Spencer explained.

"That must be nice…not having to worry about money," Toby commented.

Spencer shrugged. "It's comforting, but it's boring. I'm the kind of person that can't just be still. I have to be doing something. I stayed at home for one day and I was already going stir-crazy. I can't imagine even a week, much less the rest of my life." She thought for a moment. "He hasn't been that supportive when it comes to what _I _want to do," she thought aloud. Instantly, she regretted it. She was spilling her deepest thoughts out to a total stranger.

And yet, Toby made it seem so easy for her to do that.

"Have you talked to him about how you feel?" he asked gently.

She shook her head. "Sometimes I feel like…I can't talk to him in that way."

He examined her. She seemed to be thinking intently. That, or she was just staring off into space. "I don't mean to sound like a complete ass or make assumptions about your relationship, but what kind of a relationship is that?" he asked her.

Normally, Spencer would automatically snap into defense mode. But being with Toby was much different. She actually listened to what he said. "I don't know." _What's so special about Andrew? _"I guess he was the first person I ever dated that my parents ever accepted. And I just…I like him so much. He's a sweet, kind person," she insisted.

He nodded acceptingly. _But you never mentioned that you love him. _

Spencer looked down, like she was ashamed. It was something Toby noticed. "What's wrong?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just really scared that I'm going to lose him lately. It's like nothing I do anymore is right. But I guess I'll admit that I've been feeling different lately," she added.

That wasn't a good thing. It sounded like something his mother would say about his father. Right before she killed herself. "What do you mean?"

Spencer began to tremble, and she felt a lump rise in her throat just thinking about it. "He's been gone, and it's all my fault. I keep pushing him away. Like, I was talking to you the other day in the coffee shop, and I was late. He stormed off and went drinking with his friends. He never came home. And before that, he got angry at me because I abandoned him to hang out that night at the bar with you and everyone else," she told him.

Toby examined Spencer with his blue eyes. Spencer was trying to avoid being in his gaze, not even daring to look up, since she knew she would crack under pressure. "None of those things are your fault. You're allowed to have friends apart from Andrew. It's okay to have a life outside of your house. Maybe there's something else going on with Andrew," he suggested.

"I don't know. Maybe."

Spencer finally looked up at Toby. It was if the storm had passed. She looked completely fine. "Anyway, I should probably get going, Toby. It was so nice meeting you," she insisted as she got up and threw money down on the table.

Toby began to protest, but Spencer was practically out the door by the time he got to. She seemed to be in a hurry.

Toby glanced down at what he had been drawing the entire time. It was a drawing of an orchid and hibiscus plant on a brown paper napkin. They just reminded him of Spencer. One day, he'd remember why.

That day was not that day in the diner. Toby simply put them away and got up to pay the bill.

* * *

_So did you guys catch any references to the song? Just so you know, it's Wednesday, and instead of a café, I decided to make it a diner. I'm not so fancy schmancy as Taylor. Oh, well. _

_Anyway, pretty, pretty, pretty please leave a review! It helps me update faster (and I actually know that I'm posting and more than three people are actually reading it). I am so sorry, by the way, that you had to wait for me to update. I usually don't take that long, but I was a little stuck on this chapter, too. I just really wanted to update before tomorrow. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to update this story until, like...Friday or something like that. I'm not sure. Hopefully, it'll just start coming to me. Until next time! __**-Kayson**_


	9. Chapter 8

_**Author's Note: **__I'm back again! I didn't expect to be able to update this quickly. I know I forgot to mention it last time, but to the reviewer who figured out the beginning of Chapter Six, Elena, AKA __**Sleepinthekeegs, **__congrats! You actually picked up on that! I was just listening to it, and I couldn't resist. _

_Anyway, this is Chapter Eight. While in Chapter Seven, there was a lot of Spencer and Toby interaction, this is mostly about their friends scheming and plotting to get them together. And also some Jaria interaction. I have no idea whether or not you guys like Jason and Aria together since nobody really seemed to comment on it. Ezra doesn't appear in this story, so you can't really base anything off of that (in this story, at least). _

_Enough chit chat and on with the story!_

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

Spencer closed the door to her apartment. She found Andrew sitting on the couch, reading. It was a scene she had walked into several times before. This time, though, it was different. Things were eerily…abnormal. It was like there was a tension in the room which only she could feel.

"Andrew. You're home," she stated. But the way she stated it made it seem more like a question. Truthfully, Spencer was shocked.

He sighed and finally noticed Spencer. "I know, Spence. I was wrong. I'm sorry. I just needed to escape," he insisted sweetly.

For once, though, Spencer stood up to him. "This is how you're acting now, but what about when we have a child? What happens when you need to escape and I really need you?" she asked boldly.

"It won't happen again," he promised.

"You say that every time, but it always happens again," she snapped with bitterness.

Andrew looked at her, and Spencer felt weak again, like she was powerless. It was something that Spencer Hastings didn't feel around anyone else. "Spencer, do I love you or not?"

Spencer felt her heartbeat quicken every millimeter he moved closer. She kept fearing a slap or something. "Yes?"

He nodded. "I wouldn't ever abandon you if you really needed it. You know that a lot has been going on. I love you, Spence. And I was hoping that tomorrow, we could get things done for the wedding. You keep asking me about the invitations and everything, and I figured we could get that all settled," he told her.

Spencer expelled all of her doubts and fears as she exhaled. "Really? That's great. I've been really anxious to start and everyth—"

Spencer was quickly cut off by Andrew's lips against hers. She didn't resist at all, but she pulled away after a few moments of his lips lingering on hers. "What was that?" she asked.

"I said that we could start _tomorrow_, Spence," he said suggestively.

Spencer smirked and pulled him in for a kiss.

_This is exactly how it's supposed to be. He loves you, Spencer. You two just made love. This is right. You're marrying him, and it's right, _Spencer told herself later that evening as the couple lay in their luxury bed.

Except what Spencer didn't realize was that there was a difference between "making love" and just having sex. One implies passion and an actual yearning behind the action. It is a term reserved for two people who genuinely love each other enough to become naked in their presence, in more ways than one. There were no regrets, no sunrise, nor was there usually any hesitation. It was just love. The other can be exchanged between two complete strangers, no strings attached. There was no love of any sort behind it.

* * *

Hanna sighed as she fell back onto Emily's couch. Aria was with the two of them as well. "Can we do something today? I'm going stir crazy, and ever since I found out that Little Miss Montgomery is expecting, I'm strangely in serious need of a couple of shots of Patron. I need a new drinking clique," Hanna said.

Emily eyed Aria in shock. "What?"

Aria looked anxiously at Hanna. "That was supposed to be a secret, Han!" she exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, but when I don't have alcohol, I have no filter," Hanna insisted.

Emily now turned to Hanna in disbelief. "I think that's a paradox, Hanna."

Hanna scoffed. "I think it's called an orthodox, Emily."

"Nope, it's definitely a paradox."

Hanna scoffed again. "Whatever. And Emily? You don't need to go all Spencer on us. There's no constant need for a genius in the room at all times," she said.

"Can we maybe go out with Caleb and Jason?" Aria asked finally.

Emily smirked. "Everyone is hooking up…" she began. Her face fell as she realized the rest of the sentence. "Except for me."

Hanna sat up. "Oh, cheer up, Em. The woman of your dreams is out there, somewhere," she said reassuringly. For some reason, that triggered a memory in Hanna. "Ooh! That reminds me! There's something I need to talk to you guys about," she said.

They looked at her expectantly. As Hanna saw their stares, she fished around her bag for the item she was looking for. She pulled out the slip of paper she had found in Andrew's book. "Look at this. This was hiding in Spencer and Andrew's room in Andrew's books," she said, showing them the number.

Aria bit her lip. "That can't be good," she said quietly. "There's only one thing that can mean."

"Andrew is a cheating, lying, good-for-nothing, womanizing…" This rant continued for what seemed like forever. "…evil snake-bastard, and I won't let him get away with hurting my Spence!" Hanna exclaimed angrily.

"How are we going to tell Spencer?" Emily asked.

Aria and Hanna both shrugged. "I wish we could consult the Dalai Lama about this," Emily thought aloud.

Hanna seemed extremely confused. "You want to go to Tibetia to talk to the Dolly Llama?" she asked.

Emily looked even more confused than Hanna at this point. "It's Tibet and it's the Dalai Lama. Anyway, no, Hanna. I'm talking about Toby."

"Toby knows the Dolly Llama?"

Aria sighed. "Hanna, please go find something to stick in your mouth other than your foot."

Hanna shrugged. "Okay, but I don't think I can fit a whole bagel in my mouth," she commented.

Emily rolled her eyes. "Moving on, I wish I could talk to Toby about this, but I know exactly what he'll tell me; stay out of this, you don't know what's really going on with Spencer and Andrew, and it's not your place to meddle or judge," she recited.

Aria sighed. "Well, we're meeting up with Caleb and Jason to talk about this. I have big news to tell Jason, anyway," she said shyly.

Emily put two and two together…_holy crap. _"Is it…Jason's baby?" she asked, tiptoeing on the question.

Aria nodded. "It has to be. We were both drunk, but you've seen _16 & Pregnant. _It only takes one night before you have to go through nine months of pregnancy. One drunk, stupid night," she added bitterly.

* * *

The girls all walked into the bar that everyone had met up in a few weeks prior. They saw Jason and Caleb sitting down at a booth and quickly sat next to them. Emily sat next to Caleb, while Hanna and Aria sat on the other side of the booth.

"You wanted to meet?" Caleb asked.

Hanna scoffed. "Well, we wouldn't have called you if we didn't," she said.

Caleb rolled her eyes. "Is someone PMSing?" he asked.

Hanna narrowed her blue eyes at him. "Well, I can tell you one person who sure isn't…" she muttered under her breath.

Emily kicked her underneath the table. "Ow!" She glanced over at Caleb, who was laughing. "Jerk…" she murmured.

"Love you too, Hanna," he said smugly. Hanna rolled her eyes.

"Okay, this is serious. Can you seven year-olds call a truce or start a war some other time? We're here to talk about Spencer and Toby," Aria announced.

Jason nodded. "It's only a matter of time before something happens between them," he assured the other girls.

Hanna sighed. "We were hoping that was the case, but Spencer is so stubborn and adamant when it comes to her deadbeat of a fiancé," she grumbled. "She's never going to leave Andrew."

"After what he's doing to her? I can't imagine Spencer _staying_," Emily announced.

Caleb and Jason were both confused. "What is he doing?" Caleb asked. Jason suddenly remembered from what Aria had told him.

"He's hitting her," Jason answered. The thought made him shudder. "That's such a weak move, though. Hitting someone you know isn't going to hit you back or do anything? It's like kicking a puppy."

Aria frowned at the very thought of kicking such a cute little puppy. "I can't help Spencer unless she realizes she needs help. She's going to deny that he's doing anything wrong," Aria reminded them.

They all sighed and thought of something new to do. "We need the only person that she'll listen to," Hanna answered finally. They all looked at her with piqued interest. "We need Toby."

Emily shook her head. "We need Spencer and Toby to happen, like right now," she insisted.

Caleb schemed for a moment. "So what we need is for Spencer to get away from Andrew, confront her with the evidence, and wait for love to take its course."

Aria sighed. "What did you not understand? She's not going to leave him." Caleb smiled, which threw off Aria. "What?"

"You see, Miss Montgomery, there's one thing that you're not realizing. Spencer is probably this way _because _of Andrew's presence. If we can get her away from him for like ten days, maybe she'll change," he suggested.

"And how do we know that for sure?"

"Well," Caleb began, "I've seen a similar situation in my life before. My own parents. My mother finally gathered the courage to leave my abusive father when he went on a long business trip."

Hanna looked at Caleb and then at the others. "I'm in on this plan," she said. She looked into Caleb eyes, and he smiled. "Well, who's with us?"

Aria sighed. "I'm willing to try to get Spencer out of this."

"I am, too. I want to see them both happy. Toby deserves this, and Spencer deserves better," Emily explained.

"She deserves Toby," Jason agreed.

Caleb smiled. "It's a plan."

Aria smiled and nodded. But then, her face fell. "Well, wait a second. How do we get her away from Andrew? He's attached to her like…all the time. He may be a terrible boyfriend, but he's also kind of clingy."

Hanna shook her head. "Love will find a way," she insisted.

Caleb smiled at her.

Breaking the two of them out of their reverie, Emily groaned. "Ugh, not this again! I walked out of the room the last time you two were eye-sexing each other! I want a drink," she exclaimed.

They all laughed at Emily's sudden outburst. Emily flagged down the server.

* * *

"Thanks for walking me home, Jason," Aria said shyly as the two walked down the street.

Jason laughed. "Are you forgetting? Your home is like two apartments down from my home. We're walking home together," he corrected.

Aria rolled her eyes amicably. "Yeah, yeah, Smartass. You don't need to be such a Spencer."

This made them both laugh a little. Then, things got quiet and the only noises were cars passing and crickets chirping. "I also kind of wanted to walk with you to tell you something," Aria said as they passed the halfway point to their apartment complex.

"What is it?" he asked curiously.

Aria sighed and stopped walking. Jason became a little alarmed. "What is it?" he repeated, with more fervor.

"I don't know how to say this, so I'm just going to come out and say it." She sighed and looked at the ground. "I'm pregnant…" she began. "And it's your baby."

Jason was dead silent for a moment. He didn't even breathe. Aria looked at him expectantly. Jason could feel his heart pounding in his chest. "You're pregnant?" he asked finally.

She nodded. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do," she said meekly.

"Well, I'm going to support whatever you do," he answered.

Aria looked at him in shock. "Jason, you—"

"I'm as responsible for this as you are. If you want to give it up for adoption, I won't stop you. If you want to keep it, I'll support you. If you want to do other things…" Jason's voice suddenly became very quiet. "I'll deal with it."

Aria shook her head incessantly. "I'm not going to abort it." She looked at the ground and up at him again. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"It's your child," he said.

She shook her head again. "It's as much mine as it is yours. I'm just carrying it," she insisted.

They looked at each other for a moment more before Aria spoke again. "I'm really glad it's you and not someone else, Jason," she said before walking up the stairs of their apartment complex.

* * *

_And now to address the lovely reviewers:_

**_LynnLayne18: _**_I was listening to the song the other day, and I thought of how cute it would be to have this off of Spoby. It's not nearly as dark and twisted as my first fanfic, but there's tension. I'm reluctant to just do one of Spencer and Toby after this whole A-madness finally ends because it just seems too fluffy. As much as I love it when they're happy, it would be pretty boring if they were happy all the time and there was no conflict at all. Anyway, thank you very much for your support!_

**_spoby equals awesomeness: _**_First off, I love the name. Next, I'm not sure whether or not I want to continue to make Andrew physically abusive. Though it would be so easy to make him just a straight-up jerk, I want there to be little to question as to why Spencer really fell for him in the first place. I'm still a little conflicted about how I want to introduce that. But Toby finds out, and when he does, TOBY IS PISSED. Whether or not Spencer heeds to her friends' warnings is still a question._

**_Sleepinthekeegs: _**_Thank you!_

**_infinitydreamzz: _**_I'm glad you liked the song reference! Since the song is a bit like most popular songs, but with an added, repeated verse at the end, I wanted to reference that more than once, so there may be a parallel to the last chapter in the future...not so subtle hint..._

**_iAmALittleLiar: _**_I'm glad you liked it! Here's your update!_

**_Guest: _**_I'm so happy you love it!_

**_ALO.24.8: _**_Ha ha ha! Dream on. I promise, it will have to be epic, and I'm building up to that moment so it makes it more awesome. _

_Anyway, if you have any questions, leave a review and I will probably answer it if it's not too spoiler-y! __**-Kayson**_


	10. Chapter 9

**_Author's Note: _**_Alright, I didn't get the reviews I hoped I'd get, but I still got five. I know it usually doesn't take me a week to update this story, but I'm thinking about weekly updates from now on because then I'd have a little more time to work on this side project. And if anyone here has read my one-shot about Fabrastings (for those of you PLLs/Gleeks, that's the crossover ship between Quinn and Spencer), I'm still debating whether or not to extend it. The 3 reviews I've gotten so far have asked me to make it longer, but I don't really want to if nobody's going to read it._

_Anyway, in other news, like my previous story, I wrote this story in a three-part format. This is the last chapter in part one! Also, for those of you who didn't know, I put like a reincarnate of myself in nearly every story that I write. My reincarnate (if you will) appears in this chapter. I think it's fairly obvious who it is, but her name is Tiffany, and she's the only original character I've added to the story (thus far...still debating about adding more). So anyway, here it is!_

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

Spencer awoke and the sun was shining warmly on her face. She smiled. Andrew wasn't right beside her, but she smelt coffee downstairs and cheerily got up to greet him.

"You seem happy this morning," Andrew noted as Spencer immediately went for the pot of coffee, grabbing a mug.

"I've been down here for five seconds," she argued. "How could you possibly tell that?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I guess I just know you really well."

Spencer smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "I guess so, because I'm really happy this morning," she confirmed. "What are you doing today?" she asked.

"I was just going to go to the office. I don't know if I'm doing anything afterwards," he informed her.

She pouted. "That sucks. I really liked having you all to myself yesterday," she said.

Andrew sighed. "I hate to tell you, but there are going to be times I'm away for longer than eight hours, Spence," he reminded her.

She sighed;. "I know, but that doesn't mean I hate them any less."

Andrew planted a kiss on her lips before going upstairs. Spencer stood, dumbfounded for a moment. _Wait a second….what just happened? _Spencer shrugged it off. _I guess that's just what love does to you._

* * *

"Hey, Emily!"

"Tiffany? What are you doing here?" Emily asked as Toby walked a hazel-eyed brunette in Emily's apartment. Her name was Tiffany. She had tan skin and hazelnut-colored hair. She was about 5'5", or around Hanna's height.

Tiffany was a mutual friend of Emily and Toby. She was Emily's friend first, when the two were both going to school in New York. Gradually, she grew closer to Toby, with the two of them actually going on a few romantic dates, but deciding they were better as friends. Emily and Tiffany no longer spoke as much, but she was one of Toby's best friends.

"I just decided, why not stop by? Besides, I'm in Philadelphia for work," she explained.

Emily smiled. "This is such a great surprise. And when you say you're here…" she began.

"I've moved here. My boyfriend Shane is here, and I figured, why not? We're pretty serious, and it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. Long-distance relationships are hard. And it's not much of a sacrifice. Philadelphia is beautiful and _so much cleaner _than New York City," Tiffany added.

Emily laughed in agreement. She looked at the clock in her apartment and sighed. "As much as I'd love to stay and play catch-up, I'm going to meet Spencer," she said as she picked up her bag.

"Is Spencer…?" Tiffany asked, hinting at the possibility that Emily and Spencer had a romantic connection. "Boy or girl?"

"Girl, and she's straight as an arrow," Emily answered.

Tiffany nodded and turned to Toby. "So is she your girlfriend?"

Emily smirked as color rose to Toby's cheeks. "No! She has a fiancé," he responded.

Tiffany nodded. "Just a friend?"

"Toby wishes she was more than a friend," Emily muttered with that ever-present smirk.

"I think you have to go, Em!" Toby exclaimed, ushering Emily out the door. Tiffany couldn't help but laugh.

Emily walked out the door reluctantly, hoping to make Toby squirm once more, but not knowing how.

* * *

"I brought all of the necessities," Hanna said. Aria immediately went to look in her bag, but Hanna simply shooed her away.

"What Malibu Barbie here forgot to mention was that she made me her pack mule," Caleb replied, walking in after Hanna. He was carrying several bags. Hanna sat down at the counter separating Aria's kitchen from her dining/living room. He set them down on top of the counter.

Aria looked in the bags. "Jeez, how much did you bring, Hanna?" she asked.

"Just the essentials. Ice cream, maternity pills, books about babies, the movie _What to Expect When You're Expecting _and _The Back-Up Plan_," Hanna said.

Aria looked up at her as if she were crazy. "I thought you said just the essentials?"

"What? J. Lo was really good in that movie," Hanna said defensively.

Caleb sat down on Aria's couch and sighed. "I thought you said Jason was going to be here. I won't be able to take the entire day around this much estrogen."

"He is. And I'm not sure who has more estrogen—me or you," Hanna remarked.

"I'd watch it if I were you, Malibu," he warned playfully.

Hanna rolled her eyes good-naturedly. Aria witnessed the entire exchange. "You two would make such a cute couple," she taunted.

Hanna scoffed. "Okay, I made out with him at the bar that night because I was more than a little tipsy and he bought me a frozen yogurt."

Aria nodded. "Right," she said with an undertone of sarcasm.

"It was! Nothing is happening."

"Just…do me a favor, and if you do it today, don't do it on my couch. I'm probably going to fall asleep there for the next nine months. Hell, I don't care if you do it in my bed. The couch and the counters are off limits."

If Aria wasn't pregnant, Hanna swore she would've smacked her. "What do you mean? You're going to be here the whole time. I told you…we don't want to corrupt your innocence," she whispered.

Aria smiled. "And you won't have to, because I'm meeting Spencer for an hour or two. But you can watch _What to Expect When You're Expecting _for when you're actually expecting. Caleb should watch, too, so he knows."

Hanna scoffed. "You're just bitter because your baby daddy is not as hot as my hypothetical one would be."

Aria smiled in victory before turning around and proceeding to walk out the door. Hanna realized what she just said. "Damn it! I didn't mean it like that! Aria! You know what I mean!" she shouted.

"Oh, I know what you mean. You want to bear Caleb's children. And I think your babies would be adorable. See you later. Remember—no memories on that couch!" Aria warned before walking out the door.

Hanna sighed in annoyance. Caleb watched from the couch. He witnessed the entire ordeal. "You want to what?"

Hanna turned red. She glared at him, but wasn't able to hide her embarrassment. And Caleb enjoyed every second of it.

* * *

"So how long have you been in Philadelphia?" Toby asked as he and Tiffany sat down in a booth. They were at the coffee shop.

Tiffany shrugged, looking around. "Not that long. Maybe like a month? A month and a half? I don't know. I've been working as a bartender in this bar in downtown Philly," she explained.

He was surprised at that. "Oh? What happened to the modeling?"

"I've kind of given up on it. I'm just not what designers and photographers are looking for, you know? I'm not tall and thin as a rail. It's not that easy getting work."

"You're right. You're better," Toby answered.

She smiled. "Thanks. And for the record, you're not so bad yourself." Tiffany paused for a moment as she looked at a packet of sugar, playing with it. "Which is why you need to tell me about Spencer. And how the hell this chick has a fiancé when she could have you," she said.

There was one thing about Tiffany, and it was that she wasn't scared to get right to the point. She was just the kind of person who wasn't fazed by the smoke and mirrors; she just wanted the real story.

Toby sighed as he thought of that. "When I met her, she was engaged," he explained.

"So what's wrong with her? Why hasn't she dumped her fiancé for you yet?" she asked.

"Tiffany…" he began. "Things aren't that simple."

"They can be," she said. "If you want them to be that simple. If she wants them to be that simple, too. Everyone always talks about how hard love is and how difficult it can be, but when you have the right person and you really love them that much…it doesn't have to be," she explained. "I made them less complicated. I was sure of what I wanted. I really love Shane, and I know that I'd rather have him than my career in New York."

Toby nodded. "I guess that means we have nothing."

Tiffany shook her head. "That's not what I said."

Another thing about her was that she sometimes spoke in apparent paradoxes. She was a contradictory person.

"What I'm trying to say is that love, per se, is not that complicated. There are outside things that make it seem complicated; like a crossword or a Sudoku puzzle. True love will still find a way," she said.

As touching as what she was saying, Toby couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, that was beautiful and all, but who are you and what have you done to Tiffany? Because the Tiffany I knew thought that love was overrated. Either you're not Tiffany, or your boyfriend has turned you into a hopeless romantic. In that case, I need to meet him, because he's a miracle worker," he teased.

"I guess you're meeting my boyfriend," Tiffany replied.

* * *

Spencer and Emily were just having a really interesting talk when Aria spotted them. She sat down at the table they were at.

"Hey. I was beginning to think that you weren't going to show," Spencer began, hugging Aria. Aria smiled at Emily.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I come? I was just caught up with Caleb and Hanna."

Emily groaned. "Why? Were they eye-sexing each other again?" she inquired.

Aria nodded. "It was disgusting. So I just left them at my apartment. And as much as I'd love to be here with you guys all day, Jason is coming over at two-ish," she explained.

"Have you talked to him about the baby?" Emily asked.

Spencer nearly spat out the lemon water she was sipping. At least, it was enough to make her choke. "What baby?"

Oh, right. Aria had neglected to mention it to Spencer. "So that night that we went to the bar, do you remember how drunk I was? Well, I stumbled into Jason's apartment and we had drunk sex and…now I'm pregnant," Aria explained.

"And I'm the last to know?" Aria braced herself for the worst. "What are you going to do about it?"

Aria looked down at her still tiny stomach. "I want to keep it," she said, almost as quiet as a whisper.

"I'm really happy for you," Spencer replied, reaching out to hug Aria. Aria took the hug in surprise, but hugged her back.

"So how have things been between you and Andrew?" Aria questioned once Spencer released her.

Spencer sighed, but a smile was on her face. "Things have been great with us. Thanks for asking."

Aria smiled. Spencer didn't notice, but Emily could see just how fake her smile was.

* * *

"Whoa, is this Spencer?" Tiffany asked as she looked through Spencer's Facebook photos.

Toby sat down beside Tiffany. "Yes," he replied sheepishly.

Tiffany looked at Toby before looking back at Spencer. "She's really pretty." She kept looking through Spencer's pictures and encountered one on Spencer and Andrew's romantic trip to Mexico. Tiffany stopped and examined Andrew. "Wait a second, is this her fiancé Andrew?"

Toby nodded. "Why?"

"I've seen him before."

He was intrigued. "Really? Where?" he asked.

"At the bar. Are you sure that this is really her fiancé?" she questioned again.

He sighed. "I don't like where this is going."

Tiffany looked over at Toby. "The man I met was not engaged. He wasn't wearing a ring and he started hitting on me. I politely asked him to flip off, and when he wouldn't, I was just about ready to flip him off. He doesn't come around much anymore, but when he did come frequently like two or three weeks ago, he was always with this one girl. And then he found another one. And another one," she explained.

Toby looked at her. "No, that can't be true. Spencer said he's a good guy," he insisted. "And he's engaged to her."

"Not the man I know," she replied cynically. "I'm sure Spencer is great and this guy is just a scumbag," she muttered.

Toby nodded. "I guess so, because it's nothing that Spencer did."

Tiffany sighed and clicked out of the photo album. Toby still couldn't believe his ears.

* * *

Emily stared at him, her mouth agape. "Are you serious? Andrew really is cheating on Spencer?"

Toby nodded sadly. "And Tiffany confirmed it. She said she's seen Andrew at the bar she works at with a bunch of different girls, and in a romantic way. He even tried hitting on her a few times," he explained.

Emily scoffed in disgust. "I want to punch him in the face," she said bitterly.

"You pulled the words out of my mouth, Em," he replied in agreement.

Emily sighed. "You have to tell Spencer. You can't let her get hurt again."

Toby walked over to the window, looking out at the rain. "If I tell her, I'll never know why I told her. I'll never know if it was because I wanted better for her, or…" he trailed off. His voice became very quiet. "Or if I wanted her for myself."

"You need to swallow your pride, Toby, and keep Spencer from making the biggest mistake of her life. If you're really her friend, you'll tell her," Emily insisted.

"It's not that easy!"

"Well, what's so hard? If you don't tell her, she's marrying a cheating scumbag, and if you do, she's not."

He bit his lip. "I don't want to lose her."

She was quite confused. "How will you lose her? If anything, she'll be thankful you told her," Emily retorted.

"Emily, I've seen it happen before, and things don't always work out that way," he answered firmly. "I will think about it, but I don't want to lose her."

"If this is the way you see things, you're going to lose her either way."

Those words echoed in Toby's mind until he wasn't able to sleep that night. Even though he hadn't known Spencer for very long, he already knew she was special. There was no way he was letting her slip out of his fingers. That wasn't happening.

* * *

_Okay, so now I will address the reviewers and if you have any questions, remember that I'll always answer them (unless I think it's too spoiler-y, but this is a Spoby story, so I'm pretty sure you know where this is headed) and you can submit a review with your question._

**_Guest (DedicatedToSpoby): _**_Aww, thanks. And sorry I didn't update sooner. And I remember that very well, and I'm glad you kept to it, so thank you._

**_xxil0vey0uxx: _**_I'm not entirely sure what you mean by that, but I think you mean that Aria is helping Spencer out, and she certainly is. I promise, no evil Aria in this story, Sparia shippers. And Andrew doesn't love her for her body. You'll find out why they're together later on. Andrew is not with her because of those Hastings legs._

**_vondydora: _**_I've never gotten that nickname before. My prologue was meant to draw everybody in, since I thought you'd all be intrigued about why Spencer was hysterical in Paris and who she was talking about. I mean, there could be so many options, in my opinion. I like those kinds of stories which kind of start in the middle and then begin in Chapter One at the very beginning. I don't care for Wren, and I'd probably kind of ship Wrencer if something as amazing as Spoby didn't happen. And I was shifting back and forth on whether or not to make Andrew abusive, and I decided that it would be more dramatic and angsty (can we please just make that a real word?) if he was. And you hit the nail right on the head. Spencer truly doesn't believe she can do better than Andrew, and she stays with him because he's the best boyfriend she's ever had, so he does have some good qualities in him. I wanted to put some Haleb and Jaria plotlines, otherwise it would kind of be this repeating mess of Spencer, Toby, Andrew, blah blah blah. And I ship Aria with pretty much everyone other than Ezra. He sometimes brings out the worst in her. Seriously, I'd ship her with a rock (Rockria. Lol). _

**_Sylviecake231: _**_Thank you, and thank you for your amazing story to give me some inspiration for writing when my mind is just like a green room! I'm just waiting...and waiting...and waiting for something to spark in my brain, and it's not good. So thanks! And I'm glad you're enjoying Jaria. I mean, I don't think Ezra's that bad (just bad with Aria), but I like Jason so much more. And I think he's a lot hotter. On the list of hottest guys on the show, he'd have to be #2, right after Toby because I think he's incredimazing. And I chose Andrew because I feel he's an underdeveloped character, so I could pretty much do whatever I want with him and it would kind of make sense, since we don't really know anything about him from the show._

**_Sunset13: _**_I assure you, I did not end this story, I just haven't updated in a week. So here you go, and I hope you enjoyed it!_

_Don't forget to post that review! Don't leave it hanging or I might make Toby cry next chapter. That's a horrible threat, but I think I just gave myself an idea. Whatever, that's just the way I work. __**-Kayson**_

_**P.S: **__In case you couldn't tell from my author's notes, I'm a very weird person. Just go with the flow and ship Spoby, and I promise you, we can get along. _

**_P.S.S: _**_(or is it P.P.S? I don't remember) This chapter is dedicated to my friend on FanFiction, Cassandra Prince, soooo...I hope you liked it!_


	11. Chapter 10

**_Author's Note: _**_I'm back again! I know you guys are very anxious to see if Toby is going to tell Spencer, and in this chapter, there's a whole lot of Spencer/Toby interaction. _

_I know you don't want me to keep blabbing, so here's Chapter 10, the first chapter in Part II._

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

Spencer awoke to an empty bed and the doorbell ringing. She got up and looked outside the window, seeing that Andrew's car was not in the driveway. She sighed as she went down the stairs. She slipped on a sweater over her camisole, answering the door. She was surprised to see the person behind it.

"Toby? What are you doing here?" she asked. She noticed a brown paper bag and coffee in his hands. "And what is that?"

Toby sighed. "Can I come in?" Spencer stepped aside and allowed him in. "This is breakfast. I think you and I need to talk."

Spencer was a bit confused, but went with it. "What is this about?" she asked in a soft tone.

He shrugged. "Just about…things."

She eyed him cautiously but took the things out of his hands. She led him over to the kitchen island and set down the things. Toby followed. She looked up occasionally to see him staring at her.

"It seems like something's really bothering you," she said finally.

He nodded. "I guess you can say that." He watched as Spencer took out the bagels he had gotten and the brown paper napkins from the bag. "It's not about me. It's about a friend?"

Spencer became intrigued. "Alright. Do tell," she insisted as she took out butter, jelly, and cream cheese from the fridge.

_How do I start?_

* * *

Hanna looked like she was about to turn beet red. She was already halfway there. "That cheating, lying bastard!" she fumed.

Aria gasped. "Hanna! What if the baby can hear you?" she asked, placing her hands over her seemingly non-existent tummy.

Hanna rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Oh, please. Your baby is the size of my freaking pinky nail. They don't have ears yet."

"Well when they do get ears, I am not bringing them around Auntie Hanna's place, because they're going to come out swearing and flipping people off," Aria answered sternly.

Hanna rolled her eyes. "Oh, kiss my ass."

"Can we get back on topic here? Sorry, Aria; your baby won't hear Hanna and her foul mouth for a while yet," Emily informed Aria.

Aria sighed. "Thanks, Em, but that won't stop her."

Within the few weeks that Aria and Spencer had known her, Emily was inducted into their circle quickly. She got along really well with Spencer and Aria.

"This is serious. We have to tell Spencer. Otherwise, she's going to be stuck, married to a cheater the rest of her life," Emily reminded them.

"Do you want to tell her?" Hanna asked.

Emily looked at Hanna like she was crazy. "I've known her for all of about a month. And I'd like to keep my face," she said.

Hanna sighed. "I'm not telling her. I will have to fight the urge to tell her 'I told you so,' and Spencer _so _doesn't need that right now," she explained.

Both Emily and Hanna looked at the tiny brunette.

"Whoa, there is no freaking way I'm the one telling Spencer."

There was a dead silence except for the hum of the refrigerator in Aria's apartment. Finally, Hanna came up with an idea. "We could all tell her together," she suggested.

Emily was a bit skeptical of that. "Shouldn't Toby be the one to tell her? He's the one who found out in the first place," she suggested.

"Yeah, I'm kind of with Emily on this one. I'd like to keep my face. And my baby," Aria added.

Hanna shrugged. "I don't care how she finds out, but it needs to happen before she gets married. Not after, not during. I am not buying a thousand dollar dress for a sham of a wedding that's going to be ruined anyway," Hanna complained.

Emily gave her a strange look. "A thousand dollars for a dress you're going to wear once?"

"I go in designer or I go in nothing," she answered.

Aria smirked. "I'm sure Caleb would love that."

Emily didn't even try to stifle her laugh as Hanna shot Aria a death glare.

* * *

"Toby, we've been sitting here exchanging nothings. You still haven't even _begun _to tell me about what you wanted to speak about," Spencer reminded him.

Toby's breath hitched, and he still had yet to think of the best way to break this news to Spencer.

He glanced over at the clock. _12:45. _He had killed quite a bit of time talking about stuff that overall meant nothing.

_How should I say this? Spencer, your boyfriend is a cheating idiot and he doesn't deserve you. No…that sounds too rehearsed. Your boyfriend is a cheater. No, that isn't it, either. Sometimes, when people are stuck in one-sided relationships, one party drifts off and does the act formerly known as "adultery"; it's now commonly referred to as cheating, and that's what your fiancé is doing to you. What do you want to do? Break her heart while coming off as a jerk AND insulting her?_

He shook his head, trying to expel all of those weird thoughts. "Spencer, there's something you need to know."

"I know that already. We've been sitting here for about two hours while you've been mentally debating how you're going to tell me this," she said.

It was like she knew his innermost thoughts; it was like Spencer could pick Toby's brain just by looking at him. _Or is it just that obvious? _"I just really don't know how to say this."

"Just say it," Spencer urged.

Just as Toby was opening his mouth to speak, the door to Spencer's house opened.

Toby felt his stomach do a flip flop as he saw the person enter the house.

It was Andrew.

* * *

Toby had no idea what to do at this point. It was obvious Andrew was caught off guard by Toby being there.

Spencer stood and walked over to her fiancé. "Andrew, this is Toby. He's one of Hanna's friends," Spencer said.

Subconsciously, Toby was disappointed that Spencer had never mentioned him before.

"And this is Andrew, my fiancé," she introduced, breaking Toby from his thoughts.

Andrew extended his hand to Toby. "It's nice to meet you."

Toby plastered on a fake smile and the two exchanged pleasantries. Out of the corner of his eye, Toby could see Spencer smiling.

"I just came by because I forgot something upstairs," Andrew explained to Spencer. She looked a little disappointed, as if she was hoping the reason for his unexpected arrival was to see her.

Toby watched Spencer as she watched Andrew go up the stairs. It was as if Toby wasn't even there at the moment.

Five minutes later, Andrew was out the door again. Toby had finally mustered the courage to tell Spencer what she needed to know.

Spencer sat down in front of Toby, but it was pretty obvious she wasn't actually thinking or concentrating on him.

"Spencer, this is really important. It's about Andrew," Toby began.

Spencer's expression remained blank. "What's about Andrew?" she asked.

"What I wanted to talk to you about!" he exclaimed. Then he took a breath. Spencer still seemed unresponsive. "Sorry, I didn't mean to yell."

Spencer didn't really seem to care. Toby was becoming frustrated.

_Rip it off like a band-aid._

"Andrew is cheating on you, Spencer."

* * *

_I know I left it on somewhat of a cliffie, but I'm willing to make a deal. If I get 10 more reviews, I will update sooner! _

_And now onto reviews:_

**_spoby equals awesomeness: _**_I guarantee that Toby will find out Andrew is abusing Spencer (in multiple ways), and I'm debating on which liar should tell him. But Toby and Andrew will eventually have a confrontation where Spencer is not in the room, and Toby can say whatever he needs to say. And it'll be epic. I hope._

**_insertnameherex: _**_Well, I'd just like to say, thank you for reading my other story! It means a lot! "Enchanted" is just something I've been sitting on for a while, and I wanted to make a Fabrastings fanfiction because I'd been thinking about it for a while. Eventually, I'll make an Emtana one (because I think that Emily+Santana would be soulmates...Marlene King and Ryan Murphy better make it happen!). So, thanks for that and for this review. And your wish was granted. I guess you have good Karma :)_

**_Guest (DedicatedToSpoby): _**_I just have to say that your review was hilarious, and thank you for liking the character I based off of me :) Still debating whether or not Spencer and Tiffany will meet or if Tiffany will come back. A review about that would be much appreciated. And Toby will ask Spencer out and they'll be all cutesy and stuff. _

**_LynnLayne18: _**_I am glad that you enjoy my bits of Jaria and Haleb. I think that if they had shown more of Jaria on the show, I'd totally ship that, but right now, I guess I ship Jaria 2.0 (Jake+Aria) or Wesria (Wesley+Aria) or Rockria (Rock+Aria, AKA Aria+her own earrings, AKA, Aria+everyone except Ezra). And I will not make Toby cry...in this chapter, at least. Or the next one. But maybe I'll change it if I don't get some nice reviews :) And I'm not so sure it's sadder than bunnies dying...I love my bunnies. But yes, it's about as sad as my dog eating my chocolate cheesecake on my birthday, and me not having any (that was tragedy). _

**_spobettes: _**_Andrew might be hiding something else..._

**_Sunset13: _**_I think Toby might want to punch Andrew in the face, too. Hmm..._

**_xxil0vey0uxx: _**_Well, I don't think I'll ever do a Spoby pregnancy story that takes place while Spencer is pregnant. And then, stereotypically, Toby leaves before Spencer can say that she's pregnant and then flash forward like 4-16 years later and now Spencer hates him/still loves him, yadda yadda yadda, but then they get back together and their kid is all happy and stuff like that. I never want to do something like that. One of the reasons one of my favorite fanfictions on this site ("If You Ever Come Back To Us" by LittleSpoby2199) is my favorite is because it's sort of like that, except theirs is that Toby is taking care of their daughter, and I don't know why, but I find it so much more interesting and realistic. Anyway, I know I did something similar with my last story, but it really wasn't. I really have never seen a story where Spencer and Toby have twin girls, give them up for adoption, and seventeen years later, the girls come back to meet their parents and are thrown into something else. I've kind of seen stuff similar to Begin Again, but not nearly as much as those pregnancy stories. So thank you for realizing that my story is a little unique and different. I appreciate it very much. _

**_Sylviecake231: _**_I think Ezra has his funny moments and I like him helping out Emily and Spencer, but I feel like his relationship with Aria is wrong and shouldn't be condoned (since they were a teacher and student, and Aria having been through a similar situation with her father and his student makes her a little hypocritical, in my book). I especially like his relationship with the lime. I ship that Limezra (Lime+Ezra)? True love. And I definitely think that Ezria provokes the worst in Aria. She was willing to turn against her parents for the simple (and justified) notion of them disliking her relationship. She basically wanted to ruin her father's life by tattling because she didn't want to be separated from Aria. From that alone, Aria is my least favorite. And on a side note, I miss Jason. So much. Where the hell is he? _

_So what was your favorite moment in this chapter? #SpobyFriendship? #JariaBaby? #HannasABadass was probably one of my favorites. That or #TobyMansUp. And my last candidate is #EmilyKeepsHerFace. __**-Kayson**_


	12. Chapter 11

**_Author's Note: _**_You guys work awfully fast! I would've uploaded yesterday, but my mom's house doesn't have Wi-Fi and it's pretty hard uploading the next chapter when you can't get to the internet :)_

_So new deal. 12 reviews=1 chapter. I still have to finish writing Chapter 12. I'm sorry I'm not a super fast writer, but it's coming along._

_And just in case you were wondering (though you'd find out soon enough), this chapter takes place immediately following Toby telling Spencer. _

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

Spencer finally seemed to respond to this statement. "You're lying, Toby. I'm sorry, but that can't be true," she insisted.

"I didn't want to tell you like this, Spencer."

"You have no proof," she tried again.

"My friend Tiffany works at a bar in Philadelphia, and she's seen Andrew there a bunch of times with a lot of women," Toby told her.

She shook her head. "They might be clients, co-workers; Andrew wouldn't cheat on me," she said stubbornly.

Toby sighed. "Spence, Hanna found a phone number from a girl. Tiffany saw—"

"Don't call me Spence," she interrupted. "Only my friends can call me Spence."

"I am your friend," he responded.

"No. A friend wouldn't make up lies about my relationship!" she said, raising her voice. "You're lying to me right now."

He shook his head. "I'm not lying about this. I'm telling you because I care about you," Toby insisted.

"Get out. Right now!" she yelled. "I'm sorry, but you need to leave," she responded, pushing him out the door.

Spencer began crying, and she wasn't entirely sure why. She was certain that even in retrospect, she wouldn't understand why. She didn't know if it was because she just sent someone she genuinely cared about out the door or if it was because she really believed her fiancé was cheating on her.

But maybe it was both.

* * *

Aria shifted uncomfortably on the couch. She was seated next to Hanna, and on the other seat in the room was Jason. It was dead silent in the room.

"I think that our takeout is ready, so I'll go pick it up," Hanna said finally.

Before either Aria or Jason could protest, Hanna had her bag and was making her way out the door.

Aria shifted uncomfortably on the couch. She looked down at her nails.

"Are we going to not talk about this?" Jason asked.

Aria shrugged, not meeting his eyes. "I don't know what there is to talk about," she answered.

"We've been tiptoeing around it." Aria didn't respond. Jason sighed. "Do you want to keep the baby?"

She shrugged. "I'm not getting an abortion. And I don't want to live my life wondering 'What if I never gave them up'. I think I want to keep it," she said sheepishly.

Jason nodded, understanding.

Aria finally looked up. "Jason, I don't want you to think that by keeping the baby, I'm asking you to do anything else. We don't have to be together for the sake of this baby. We don't have to get married, or anything," she let him know.

"What if I wanted to go out with you? What if I wanted to take you out on a date?" Jason asked.

Aria sat, the words not being thoroughly processed in her mind.

"Do you want to go on a date with me?" he asked finally.

She couldn't find words, so she simply nodded her head. Jason smiled, which prompted Aria to smile, as well.

* * *

Emily opened up the door and saw Toby standing there. He was drenched, caught in the torrential downpour that plagued Rosewood for the fifth time this week. Something else was obviously wrong with this picture.

"What happened?" Emily asked.

Toby was obviously shivering. Emily took his hand and brought her into the apartment.

"Come inside. You're probably freezing," she said, her maternal instincts kicking in.

* * *

Spencer sat inside her house, tapping the countertop with her fingernails. She was waiting for Andrew to get home.

She was still unsure whether she could believe what Toby was saying. As much as she trusted him and wanted to believe he wouldn't lie to her, she couldn't get over how irrational it was to end such a serious relationship due to someone else's belief.

She stared out, thinking, until her reverie was broken by the sound of a door opening. Quickly, Spencer glanced at the clock. It was already three thirty.

Andrew appeared, and Spencer mustered a smile as he kissed her on the forehead. She didn't know what to do. She was glad when Andrew spoke first.

She wouldn't be relieved when she heard what came out of his mouth next.

"Spencer, we need to talk," he said.

Spencer looked concerned, hoping nothing bad was happening and that Toby's suspicions weren't confirmed. "What's wrong? Andrew?" she asked when he didn't respond.

"I want to know that you'll be okay."

Fear crossed her face. "Okay for what?" she questioned cautiously.

"I need to make a trip to Europe in a few weeks. France. Paris, actually," Andrew said quietly.

Spencer sulked a little bit. "Paris? Can't someone else go?" she asked sheepishly.

He shook his head. "I'm sorry."

They had talked about things they wanted to do as a married couple. Near the top of the list was go to the City of Love, Paris. Both had studied French in high school and were fascinated by the language and culture. Spencer was crestfallen when she heard that he was going without her. "It's okay. I know you have to go," she lied.

Andrew smiled at her. "I knew you'd understand. I love you," he said with a kiss on the lips.

Spencer didn't want to let go of his hand, but sighed as he left the room. She felt so alone at that moment.

* * *

"So what happened?" Emily asked Toby, giving him hot cocoa. Emily knew that he secretly didn't like the taste of coffee that much, but in order to make himself feel more like an adult than a child, he sucked it up and drank the coffee with his friends.

Toby sighed. "I tried to tell Spencer about Andrew," he revealed.

"Uh oh. You said 'tried'. As in, unsuccessful," she noted.

He sighed again. "It didn't work out, Emily. She was incredulous. She didn't even consider it. And then, she kicked me out of her house. She said I was lying and I'm sure she hates me now," he commented.

Emily shook her head incessantly. "She can't hate you, Toby. If she does, she's a fool. You're an amazing person, and Spencer has to realize that. You're so much better than Andrew," she insisted.

"Would you all stop with the two of us belong together all of that? She's getting married. Today was proof that nothing will ever happen between the two of us. She's in love with him," he snapped. Another sigh. "I'm sorry, Emily. I didn't mean to yell, but I just don't want to think about her being with someone like that. She deserves more and I really want her to be happy," Toby explained.

"I know you do, Toby. I'm sorry that things are working out this way, but I'm sure that Spencer will end up with the right person. She's a good person and she deserves that much," Emily agreed, taking Toby's hand.

They exchanged a smile and Toby took a sip of the hot cocoa, feeling like a child again. If only things were as simple as they were when he was seven.

* * *

Spencer arrived at Aria's house, giving her a hug. Aria wrapped her arms around the much taller brunette. Spencer smiled for what felt like the first time that day.

"Are you ready to go to your first ultrasound, Miss Montgomery?" Spencer asked Aria, who was glowing.

Aria nodded happily. "Very ready. I've been waiting all day," she informed her.

The two walked out to Spencer's car. Spencer insisted she drive, even though Aria was only five or six weeks pregnant.

Aria leaned back in the seat. "I'm enjoying my figure while I can. In a few months, I am going to be so big that I probably won't even be able to sit in this car," she said.

Spencer laughed. "I think you're exaggerating. Maybe just a little?"

Aria shrugged. "Maybe. Just a little."

The two exchanged a smile. Aria really wanted Spencer to know she wanted her support. Even though she thought her fiancé was a liar and a horrible boyfriend, she would always support Spencer. Except for when it came to marrying Andrew and starting a family.

Spencer was glad knowing Aria wanted her support, and knew it was a big deal going to the first ultrasound. She felt honored to become a part of the baby's life. She knew Aria would need all the support she could get.

Once arriving at the OB/GYN's office, Spencer became weary with the amount of pink and blue all over the room. There were so many pictures all over, making her feel uncomfortable. Aria held her hand.

"Spence, I'm kind of scared," Aria cried quietly. She looked so sweet and innocent.

"You'll be fine, Aria. You're not having the baby for another seven months, at least," Spencer reassured her.

Aria sighed and nodded.

Eventually, the two made their way into the OB/GYN's room, and Aria sat uncomfortably on the chair. Quickly, the nurse came and gave her the revealing, annoying paper gown required in the office, and Aria reluctantly changed into it.

She came back, and not two minutes later, the doctor entered the room. Doctor Reynolds was Aria's (and Spencer's) OB/GYN. She was a really nice woman, about thirty or thirty-five, and Aria and Spencer both liked her a lot.

"Hello, Aria, Spencer. What brings you here today?" she asked brightly.

"I just came in for my first ultrasound," Aria reminded her. "I just want to make sure everything's okay and just get to know about all the things I should and shouldn't be doing," she added.

Dr. Reynolds nodded. "Okay, well, why don't we get in there and see what's going on. Just to let you know, you're still not far enough along for me to use the abdominal machine to get a look, so we have to go another way," she explained.

Aria took a deep breath and nodded. Spencer got a little weary when Dr. Reynolds brought over a machine which had a long stick attachment. She figured where this was going and had to shake out the pins and needles she got in her hands.

"Whoa, Spence. You seem more nervous than I do," Aria commented.

"Is the future Mrs. Campbell going to be coming back here under different circumstances?" Dr. Reynolds asked. Her tone suggested something else entirely.

Spencer shook her head. "No. We talked about it and we'd like to wait before having children," Spencer informed them. "I'm on birth control right now," she explained.

Aria rolled her eyes slightly while Dr. Reynolds nodded.

A few minutes later, the image came up on the screen. Spencer saw tears forming on the edges of Aria's eyes and water droplets forming on her long eyelashes. Aria couldn't help but beam.

"Oh, my God. Spencer," she said. Spencer held her hand. She smiled at the sight, as well.

Dr. Reynolds sighed. "This is what I live for," she said quietly.

After a few minutes of admiring and printing out a few copies of the ultrasound, the machine was turned off and Aria got to change back into her real clothes (which she was very thankful for).

"So, Aria, one of the first things you should do it get started on some prenatal vitamins. I'm warning you that they will make you gain water weight, so your cute little figure may not remain so tiny, but it'll give the baby more nutrients and all those good things. Also, try not to go tanning or anything with a large amount of UV or Gamma-rays. In other words, try not to do anything that you'll need an x-ray for. It could hurt the baby," she explained.

Aria nodded. "When should I come back here?"

"I'd say another six weeks. You're about six weeks right now. Then, you'll be about three months pregnant. You'll be a little bit rounder, and then, you'll be entering your second trimester," Dr. Reynolds informed her. She handed Aria a copy of the ultrasound. "Congratulations, Aria."

* * *

Aria left the office, smiling, arm-in-arm with Spencer. "I'm so happy, Spence. I know this baby wasn't at all planned, but I already love him or her," she said, glancing down at her flat stomach.

Spencer nodded, leading Aria to the car.

"It makes me think a lot about things. Like whether or not I really want children sooner or later," she said as she put the keys in the ignition. "I don't want to wait too long to have children."

Aria nodded, not saying anything.

"Maybe I even want to start trying now."

Although she didn't say anything, the look on Aria's face said it all.

Of course, Spencer couldn't tell; she was already driving, and already far too oblivious to see how bad Andrew really was for her.

* * *

_So, next chapter there's Sparia :) I do like Sparia, and if it's possible to simultaneously ship one character with more than one couple, Spencer would be (pardon my French) a Ship whore. I love Sparia, Spanna, and Fabrastings (crossover/crack ship between Glee's Quinn and Spencer). But above all else, you know I'm a Spoby shipper. And it was nice to finally give some genuine Sparia moments (I promise she is not evil in this fanfiction). _

_The next chapter is going to be especially long (it's already about 7 1/2 pages, and I'm not anywhere near done yet), so 12 reviews, one update!_

**_infinitydreamzz: _**_I love writing for Hanna. She's such a badass. I love it. And thank you for the response on Tiffany. I love her (maybe I'm saying that I love myself...closeted narcissist?), and I'm still thinking about bringing her back. I loved writing her friendship with Toby. It's a lot different than his interactions with Emily and Caleb, so it was refreshing to see friendship from a different perspective._

**_NewEnglandMuggle Girl: _**_Yup, just like a Band-Aid. Unfortunately, Spencer is blindsided, but eventually, Eve will eat the apple from the tree of knowledge because of some snake (but they're a nice snake...maybe it's me!). Ignorance will weather away until Spencer's rose-colored glasses on Andrew are gone. If that was vague, it was supposed to be. _

**_spoby equals awesomeness: _**_Thanks! And if I haven't said it before (though I think I have, but it's so cool I'll say it again), I love your username!_

**_beautifuldreamerr: _**_I don't know if I'll get a chance to clearly explain this another time, so here it goes. Spencer's not really angry, so to speak. I'd say she's much more annoyed. She's constantly been hearing from her friends how horrible they think Andrew is for her (and to make matters worse, they throw subtle digs instead of blatantly saying why), and she feels it's not justified. When she met Toby, she kind of had someone who wasn't egging her on about it, and when they were together, they could just talk, no judgment. Now, she feels as though she's being judged and for no valid reason. I guess you could say she's in denial, but her denial is somewhat justified, since she has no solid proof from anyone about Andrew cheating. She will sometime soon, and I assure you that her and Andrew will be toast by the end of Part II (which is actually following the Prologue). I am very excited for writing Toby and Andrew's scene, as it will be like the confrontation to end all confrontations. And, if you go back and read the prologue, you'll know where this story is taking us next (and in the words of Miss Natalie Nunn [who I sometimes think of while writing Hanna's badass side], we're international, bitch...and no, I wasn't calling anyone a bitch, just sayin'...in the words of Natalie Nunn) and I'm going to stop typing right now because it's all turning into gibberish. _

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_I'm glad you like the hashtags, too. I just find it easier to see what everyone's enjoying, and so far, #TobyMansUp and #HannasABadass are trending. People also seem to love #EmilyKeepsHerFace, ha ha ha. _

**_Onedirection2013: _**_I'm glad you like this story as well! It was entertaining to read your reviews on my last story (I loved seeing your username in my new comments), so I'm happy to see you on this one as well! Happy reading!_

**_iAmALittleLiar: _**_I'm going to say this to you, but also to everyone else: there's an anecdote I've heard a lot recently which really applies here, and that's that after the rain comes a rainbow. I promise that even though this is like a monsoon/hurricane, the rainbow at the end will be as beautiful and brilliant as I can possibly make it. _

**_LynnLayne18: _**_Thanks on my Author's Notes. I just try to keep it honest. A lot of people don't think I'm funny, but I think I'm hilarious. Guess I'm delusional. Oh, well. And I'm glad you love the story, too!_

**_Capitol's Kisses: _**_You have to remember that this story is AU and Alison never existed to the liars (though...I've got a tiny surprise up my sleeve and I think she'll appear eventually), and in the episode where the girls were just becoming friends with Alison, you could see that Spencer wasn't the badass she is now and she wasn't as confident or self-respecting, which is really what I'm trying to channel as I write her now._

**_Sylviecake321: _**_I made up Limezra myself, but I ship Ezra and his lime. They're like a match made in heaven. And as horrible as it sounds, I have never read nor seen any of the Harry Potter books or movies. And yes, Ezra will not appear in this story. _

**_Sunset13: _**_Nobody will die in this story, not yet at least. And if anyone dies, it will not be overly dramatic or angsty (can someone please just make that a word?!) and it won't be anyone like Andrew or Spencer or Toby (not that I think anybody would be really sad if Andrew died. I'm making him a total jerk)._

_So remember! 12 reviews for an update! __**-Kayson**_


	13. Chapter 12

**_Author's Note: _**_You guys truly outdid yourselves! I got 15 reviews on the last chapter in less than 24 hours, which I must say is pretty amazing. So if you can do it again, I'll try to update on Monday (I've just been so inspired recently that I can't stop thinking about this story :) )._

_And I must apologize, for I unconsciously lied in my last author's note. I thought that this was the chapter where Sparia was going in for the Jaria baby's ultrasound, but it was last chapter, and there isn't really Sparia in this chapter. However, I have a feeling #DrunkHanna will be trending. _

_This chapter is filled with drama and some of you guys are going to be happy or sad when you finish. But this chapter is pretty important and establishes some things._

_Without further ado, here is the 12th chapter!_

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

"Ugh….pick up, pick up, pick up!" Aria exclaimed in the phone. It gave one or two more rings before it went to Hanna's voicemail again. Aria screamed as she threw her landline at the couch. She sighed. "You want to talk at three in the morning but you can't be bothered to answer when I call you at five in the evening!" she shouted. Regardless, nobody could hear her.

She looked around her empty apartment. The only thing that made her smile was knowing that eventually, that room would be filled with baby things.

* * *

Of course, Hanna was way too busy to answer Aria. She had cuter priorities to tend to.

And before you go insane, wondering who could possibly be cuter than Aria, picture a shaggy-haired, brown eyed boy with the cutest smile sitting across from you.

Hanna was in that same situation.

Caleb smiled brightly as she attempted to eat Chinese food with her chopsticks. She finally gave up, putting the chopsticks down.

"So, again, I'm sorry that I acted like a complete and total bitch the other day, but around you, I just feel…blonder. And stupider," she said. She picked up her cocktail, which was a Cosmopolitan Champagne, and a pretty pink color. That was probably the main reason she chose that drink off the menu.

It must've tasted good, too, since it was her third or fourth one, and she was getting a little tipsy. She had to have been tipsy; there was no other way she'd own up to being bitchier than usual the other day.

"I just really like teasing you. You're such a tease. And you're so funny!" she exclaimed loudly. Caleb just had to laugh at a drunk Hanna.

"I think you've had one too many of these," Caleb said, taking the drink away from Hanna.

Hanna pouted in return. "I'd say I hate you, but I could never hate you," she confessed.

Caleb felt butterflies rise in his stomach at the sound of Hanna saying that. "Really?" he asked quietly.

She nodded. "Can you bring me home? I'm pretty sure we know which one of us should _not _be operating any heavy machinery at the moment," she said with a laugh.

He nodded, glancing at his drink quickly. He had settled for just a soda. And then he saw the four empty glasses of alcohol.

"I think we should get the bill right now."

Caleb flagged down the waiter. Hanna took a final bite of her food when she _finally _heard her phone ringing. It wasn't Aria this time. It was Emily. "Hello?" she answered, her mouth full of food.

"Hanna? Where are you?"

Hanna looked around, forgetting where she was. She shrugged, forgetting that Emily couldn't see her.

Emily sighed. "Never mind. Can you come to my apartment as quickly as possible? I tried calling Aria, but she didn't answer and I don't want to bother her," she explained.

Hanna sighed dramatically. "Can you talk to my bodyguard, Em? My bodyguard-slash-chauffer-slash-potential-boy-toy?" she asked with a slight slur.

Before Emily could answer, Hanna passed the phone to Caleb, who had just gotten the check. "It's a fan. She wants to arrange a meet and greet. Can you ward her off?" she inquired, before she began to play with the stirrer that came with her cocktail. She took two and put them in her mouth like she was a walrus.

Caleb looked her over, a little disturbed. "Sorry about Hanna. I think she's a little more than tipsy, and I'm pretty sure she thinks she's a walrus right now," he said as he observed Hanna's childlike/drunk state. "This is Caleb, by the way."

"Figures," Emily sighed. "Can you bring Hanna over as soon as possible? And can you stay the night at my place? Toby's really upset. He needs help right now," she added.

"Of course. I just have to pay and find a way to get Hanna into the car…" he trailed off, contemplating a solution to this dilemma.

"Just give Hanna a paper plate or something else round and have her make believe that she's driving. Hanna likes to be in control," Emily advised.

Caleb nodded while looking over at Hanna, who was now poking herself with chopsticks. "Yeah…I'll see you soon, Emily. I think that we'd better get going soon."

* * *

Spencer lay down that night, alone in her bed. Even though it was warm in the house, she felt so cold. She wished at times like these that Andrew was with her more often.

She shook her head, scolding herself silently. She felt so selfish, taking Andrew for granted. It was true, that he didn't have to be there with her. But he stood by her through thick and thin. And still, she asked for more and more, like a truly selfish person.

Spencer fell asleep as she listened to Andrew chatter away with someone, his voice as soothing to her as on the very first day, when they had met in school, and when he saved her the first time.

Her eyes shut and she fell into the spell of sleep before she could recall that day in full.

* * *

Caleb led the drunk Hanna into Emily's apartment. Toby was sitting on the couch. He looked so miserable; he might as well be in one of those commercials for anti-depressants. He was curled up, facing away from them and cuddling in a blanket.

Without thinking (or thinking with her drunk brain), Hanna jumped onto the large couch right next to Toby. She began to hug him, almost like she was spooning him. "Can you help me? I'm cold," she mumbled.

Toby offered Hanna some of the blanket and she began to cuddle closer. "You and I seem to be the only ones that think Spencer and Toby should have cute Spoby babies. I want to sleep with you like this every night. Can you be my human dream catcher? Maybe your long hair can work as a real dream catcher," Hanna suggested sleepily.

Toby sighed, not really thinking about most of her comments. "Well, I think that she's trying to tell you that, Caleb, not me," he said, getting up and leaving the blanket to Hanna.

Hanna brought it close to her and snuggled in the fuzzy thing. "Hanna and Caleb…shippity ship ship ship ship…" she trailed off. "Spencer and Toby…hashtag, I ship dat. Shippity ship ship ship," she said with a cute little giggle.

"I'd say that she's really drunk and I'll give her five minutes until she passes out," Emily said.

At that, Toby began the stopwatch on his phone. Emily rolled her eyes. She got back on topic. "Toby, can you explain to Caleb and Drunk Hanna what you did today?" she inquired with a sarcastic undertone.

Toby looked down at his feet. "I told Spencer about Andrew," he said finally.

"What about Andrew?" Caleb asked. He was clearly out of the loop.

"That he's cheating on her. And then she kicked me out of his house," Toby explained sheepishly.

Caleb stood, his mouth open. Hanna groaned on the couch. "For someone so smart, you're sooo stupid, Spencer Hastings!" she exclaimed with a slur.

"Spencer seems like a smart girl, but I have to agree with Hanna. How much more will it take before Spencer realizes that this relationship is toxic? Andrew neglects her, abuses her, and is going to cheat on her when they're married," Caleb fumed.

Emily braced herself for impact, the only person realizing that Toby was unaware of the second statement.

"What?" Toby asked. He already looked tense and ready to snap.

Caleb fumbled, not knowing what to say. "Um…"

"What do you mean by 'He abuses her'?" he demanded.

Emily sighed, figuring she better explain this one. "Hanna and Aria have seen it. We've talked about it. They said that sometimes, when Andrew drinks, he gets a little physical, and not in a good way," she explained.

"How can you be so calm about it, Em?! She's your friend, too, isn't she? How can you sit by and let her get hit?!" It was clear that Toby was losing it at this point.

Emily sighed. "Toby, I can't help someone who doesn't want to help themselves! I can't do anything to help her until she actually admits to someone that she's being abused, but whenever Hanna and Aria bring it up, she denies it."

Toby shook his head, clearly annoyed with the entire situation. Caleb was caught in the middle. Hanna laughed in her sleep, hugging the pillow. "You and I are going to be beeeeestest friends ever, and we're going to bring Spencer and Toby together. But once I get with Caleb, you can be my sidekick. And the fifth wheel on our dates. But maybe I can find you a nice pillowcase to go out with us. Hooooraaaaay for shipping….shippity ship ship ship," Hanna sighed.

* * *

Spencer sighed. Not only was she feeling the stress of wedding planning, Andrew going away, and her friends pushing her relentlessly towards Toby, but now she had to deal with his accusations that Andrew was cheating and something else.

She closed her eyes, willing those thoughts out of her brain.

The rhythmic and steady sound of water hitting the floor of the shower in the bathroom soothed Spencer a little. She looked through Andrew's belongings one final time to make sure that he had everything he needed for his trip. It was at times like these when Spencer wondered whether she was supposed to be Andrew's mother or fiancé.

Spencer closed the suitcase as she felt two hands on her shoulder. She turned around and saw Andrew standing there, shirtless. She gulped, unable to keep the teenage girl hormones and estrogen in check. She felt her mouth go a little dry.

"Can I drive you to the airport?" she mustered, wanting to be with him for as long as possible.

He nodded, teasing Spencer by reaching around to take a shirt to put on. Spencer held her breath at the contact.

"I'll be ready in fifteen minutes, Spence," he said quietly. She nodded.

* * *

Little did Spencer know, while she was at the airport, dropping off Andrew, Hanna was snooping around her house.

"Ugh, I don't think you guys gave me the right painkiller. I requested a bottle with a trough of water, not a baby aspirin," Hanna complained over the phone as she walked in.

"Hanna, it was all Emily had in her apartment," Caleb responded.

Hanna scoffed. "So? How hard was it to go to the farm and get that trough I asked for?" she inquired. She walked up the stairs to the second level, her Christian Louboutins clacking on the hardwood. Spencer's no shoes-on-wood rule was shot to hell.

Hanna slipped into Spencer and Andrew's bedroom, automatically feeling creeped out. "Why was I coming here again?" she asked.

"I don't know, Hanna. You went there for unspecified reasons," he reminded her bitterly.

She had an a-ha moment. "It's because I knew you'd be judgmental. I was looking to see if I could find incriminating evidence. First I need to put on the sterilizing gloves. The last thing I need is to touch gonorrhea or syphilis germs unprotected. Especially off of some bitch I don't know," she said, looking around the seemingly spotless room.

Hanna walked into the en suite bathroom and fished out the disposable latex gloves Spencer used for her OCD cleaning rampages. "Caleb, I need a guy's opinion on this. If you were married and were having an affair and brought your mistress home, where would you have sex?" she asked.

Caleb stuttered. "Well…I…I wouldn't…I'm not that kind of person," he finally mustered.

"If you were. Where you want to have sex?" she pressed.

"Not in the bed. That's kind of disrespectful. Even for Andrew. Does he have an office or something at home? Maybe there?" he guessed.

Hanna nodded, though Caleb couldn't see, and went to Andrew's home office. She looked through the drawers, around the cabinets, under the desk, pretty much everywhere. She stumbled upon something.

She groaned. "Clearly, Andrew is not as neat as Spencer, and right now I wish he was," she said, holding back a gag.

"What happened?"

She made a face. "You really don't want to know. Moving on," she announced, walking downstairs and getting to the living room. She stuck a gloved hand in between the couch cushions and felt something.

"I think I got a hit!" she exclaimed.

Pulling her hand out, she found a bra. "Damn! I was right! This couch eats everything!"

"What did you find?" Caleb asked.

"It's a bra, and, no offense to her—bless Spencer's cute, naïve heart—there is no way that Spencer could fill out this bra. It looks like a 34C or D, AKA, not Spencer," she explained.

Caleb sat, trying to figure out what that meant. "I wish I knew how to speak bras, but I don't," he commented.

Hanna sighed. "Right."

She picked it up and placed it aside, making as little contact as she possibly could. She sighed, sticking her hand in the cushion again, looking for more. She ran her hands up and down the length of the couch and finally made a discovery. She pulled it out, finding a matching thong.

"This certainly does _not _belong to chaste little Spencer Hastings. This is probably the tiniest g-string I have ever seen. Andrew can rot in hell for all I care," Hanna concluded bitterly.

Outside, she could hear an engine come to a stop as a car pulled into the driveway. "I've got to go, Caleb. Spencer is back."

Hanna hung up the phone, bracing herself for impact as Spencer walked in. Spencer came into the kitchen to get a glass of water, not noticing Hanna at first. She finally noticed her. She stopped in her tracks. "What are you doing here, Hanna? Did we make plans? Because if we did, I was just dropping Andrew off at the—"

Hanna put her hand up and stopped Spencer. With her gloved hand, she lifted up the lingerie. Spencer looked confused. "What is that?" she asked, seemingly unaffected.

"It's something I found in your couch. I know it's not yours. I heard about what Toby said to you," Hanna explained.

Spencer sighed. "It's not your business what happens in our relationship!" she exclaimed.

"It's my business if one of my best friends is unhappy in her relationship," Hanna countered.

Spencer scoffed. "I'm not unhappy," she insisted.

"You will be, Spencer. Toby was right. Andrew is cheating on you. How do you even know that this 'business trip' he's on isn't just a romantic getaway with the girl you know nothing about?" Hanna asked irritably. She loved Spencer, but she really was getting annoyed at how oblivious she was to this entire situation.

"Hanna! I know you don't like him, but I thought that for once, you'd be able to get over it. Get over it because I love him and I want to marry him and I want to spend the rest of my life with him! Don't you understand? Have you ever felt that way about someone?!" Spencer demanded before she could keep the words from spilling out of her mouth.

As soon as they came out, Spencer regretted it. She regretted it because she knew how much those words stung and brought back uneasy memories to Hanna.

Hanna only stood in shock. Still, she didn't show it. "I'm doing this _because _I know exactly how you feel. But I'm done trying to help someone who doesn't want to help themselves. I'm out of here," Hanna answered calmly, yet angrily before she took her bag and left for the door.

"Hanna, wait! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to—"

Spencer's pleads were cut off by the definitive slam of the door.

Spencer sighed and leaned against the wall, not sure what to do anymore. She looked over at Hanna's supposed evidence and at the door again. She eventually walked over to the counter where her computer was charging.

She looked up the soonest flights to Paris.

* * *

_So I think that this was a really long chapter as I had to try and copy this about seven times on Microsoft Word before it actually worked. It was a little over 8 pages long. _

_I know I left it on a little bit of a cliffhanger, but you'll find out what made Hanna so upset eventually. I was thinking it as I was writing, and I think it really makes an interesting dynamic between Spencer and Hanna and eventually Hanna and Caleb. _

**_Guest: _**_I am very glad that you like this story! So far I haven't gotten any bad responses (though when I first uploaded, I got this comment from a guest named Laura who wrote "Hate to read more" in French, so I'm not really sure what that means)._

**_Spobyluver39: _**_I think everybody hates Andrew at this point. We can transfer our regular hatred for Wren over to Andrew, because I feel like Wren gets all the hate. _

**_beautifuldreamerr: _**_Aw, thank you very much! And Spencer will have to face it herself, so she will realize that she is wrong. How she copes with it, however, is going to cause another conflict. Sometimes I feel so bad for the people who read my story because I feel like I'm destroying your feels. I'm sorry, and I can't believe you put up with my emotional abuse. But then I think of how boring of a story it would be if it were just all fluff. Like, it's cute to read one shots with nothing but fluffy Spoby, but that would be boring after like 27 chapters of just them being happy. Lastly, I've been waiting and waiting and waiting to finally write in Paris. The way I write a story is just that an idea will pop into my head, and this time, I was thinking of Toby crying in the alley-way. Even though it never existed in this AU, Spencer crying like that was like a total 180, and I just built the story from there. It's actually how I come up with most of my stories. I still have a couple Spoby ideas in the works (I know, I'm obsessed), and I hope that my readers from other stories will be willing to read the other ones I have in the making. _

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_I would say that Aria has a very intense, contained dislike towards Andrew. She knows that she's abusing her best friend. I mean, how would you cope if your best friend was being beaten by a person she thinks she's (or she may really be) devastatingly in love with? And yes, I like Emily keeping her face, too. _

**_iAmALittleLiar: _**_I tried to make Spencer as nice as possible when she was dealing with the immediate backlash of what Toby said. But then I thought that if I were in the situation, I would just want to be alone as soon as possible, because I would not want to deal with people after hearing (what I think are) lies about a person I'm in love with. I think you kind of saw that she was trying to be calm, but just lost it. And no problem! I love replying to the reviewers, and I think that you're all so amazing in supporting this story, so it's the least I can do for you. _

**_spoby equals awesomeness: _**_I would like to start off by saying, I'm sorry if I hurt your heart a little bit by writing a sad Toby in this chapter, but I think vulnerable, sulky Toby was necessary. And Spencer will come to terms, eventually. Patience will make the rainbow even brighter. _

**_Onedirection2013: _**_I am so glad that I'm not the only one who feels bad for Spencer! I think that Spencer is in an even worse spot than Toby, in some ways, because she doesn't realize it, but she's setting herself up for heartbreak. And I know that she will eventually have the right guy. She'll end up with him. _

**_Sylviecake321: _**_I assure you that I'll probably write more Jaria in Part III, because I think by then, the baby will be born. IDK what to call her/him yet, so if anybody could review possible ideas, that would be great. And I know that I am like the .000001% of people who has not had like any interaction with the Harry Potter series, ever. I know two characters. Hermione and Harry. And then there's that other guy that looks like a ginger, but I don't know his name. And I think there's also a guy who doesn't have a nose, but I might be thinking of something else. Anyway, yeah, I've been deprived of a childhood, I know. _

**_Guest: _**_Actually, if you're reading this, I would love to know where you saw a part where I made it seem like Spencer was pregnant before. I've never seen A Walk to Remember, but I've heard it's sad, and since it's a Nicholas Sparks story, it probably involves someone dying (though I think I've heard of that movie...Mandy Moore was in it, I think, and she dies, right?). I saw The Last Song with my friends, and I surprised everyone, including myself, when I walked out of the movie with dry eyes. And, I think you're getting at something..._

**_Sunset13: _**_If you're asking for the chapter when everyone starts to jump Andrew, I have a feeling that's not going to happen. Not that he doesn't deserve to be jumped, just that I don't want to have to deal with the possible repercussions that might have, like a nasty lawsuit or possible jail time. Something that bothers me in some Spoby stories is that they make Toby just beat someone up for Spencer's sake, and that's really so unrealistic. First of all, though I'm sure he has it in him, Toby's too smart for that. He'd probably have to face time for aggravated assault, which I don't want to have happen. If you're talking about when everyone starts to hate on Andrew, well, that's been happening for quite some time._

**_Guest (Madison): _**_I'm glad you love this story!_

**_Emmy739: _**_I am so glad you're into this, though I know what you feel like. I've gone through withdrawals after watching Pretty Little Liars (I must say the hiatus between 2A and 2B was the worst. Not only was it my first hiatus [I started watching Season 2, catching up with DVDs], but Spencer and Toby, both of whom I were coming to love dearly together, had broken up and I was just like NOOOOOOOOO. I think the scene that really made me fall for them was the Scrabble scene and the first I love you. So now you know the story of how I came to be a Spoby shipper) myself, so I know it sucks. _

**_spobettes: _**_Yes, she needs to see that Andrew is a cheater. She belongs with Toby. The more angst-filled the story is, the better the payoff! _

**_Guest (Spobyshipper): _**_Thank you so much! I just love putting myself into the Spencer or Toby-mindset. I write for them as if I were them. I'm what I like to call a method writer. I'm also a method TV-watcher, 'cause whenever Pretty Little Liars is on, I throw on my A-Team hoodie and start watching. Good times. And I'm glad you're liking Aria and Jason! Kisses as well! (I know, I'm an awkward turtle)_

**_Spoby101: _**_As a matter of fact, you are my 15th review, so I will upload this right now!_

_Okay, so remember our little deal with the reviews for my update!_

_I'd also like to point out that as much as you probably don't want to hear me blabbing to everyone at the end, I usually drop some spoilers in response to my reviewers' comments. Like, I've dropped a couple of things I'm surprised nobody's mentioned. I use it like a little interview, almost. I feel really cool responding and stuff (if I'm tripping, it's over my own awkwardness)._

_So, the hashtags I've decided on are #DrunkHanna, #HannaShippityShips, #SadToby, #HalebDateNight, #AndrewsSluttinItUp, or #MisereAimeLaCompagnie._

_Until next time! __**-Kayson**_

**_P.S: _**_I was right, this is super long. It's over 4,000 words!_


	14. Chapter 13

_**Author's Note: **__So I'm updating again! I will have to warn you in advance that this chapter is a little bit uneventful, and the next chapters are when things really go down. _

_And that's all I have to say, so let's get down to it!_

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

"What? Spencer, are you crazy?" Aria asked, putting down the dish she was washing and shutting off the tap water.

Spencer sighed. She was trying her best to maneuver the luggage cart while still speaking to Aria. "Aria, I can't right now. But I'm going, and tell Hanna, because I can't get her to answer my calls."

Aria stared down at the dish towel in front of her. "Well, what you said to her was uncalled for and really upsetting, Spencer," she answered softly.

"I know. But I'm trying to make things right," Spencer answered after a pause. "For everyone."

Aria hung up the phone, looking over to her company. Emily, Hanna, Toby, Caleb, and Jason were all over. She put the dish on the drying rack and walked back over to them. "Spencer just called. She left for Paris," she announced, putting her phone down on the coffee table.

All of them looked surprised except for Hanna. "What? Is she crazy?" Emily asked.

Aria shrugged and sighed. "And she wants you to know she's sorry, Hanna."

Hanna just rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

After a moment of awkward silence, Toby got up, grabbing his jacket and heading towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Jason asked.

"Home to go look up a flight on the next plane bound for Paris," he explained before opening the door and leaving.

Emily quickly got up and walked out the door, following. "Toby, wait for a minute!" she called out, just as he was about to descend the stairwell.

"Emily, don't even try to convince me that I shouldn't go. I'm going to," he stated plainly.

She shook her head. "That's not what I wanted to say. I just wanted to tell you to be safe and…don't break Andrew's face when you see him. And I want a hug," she said with a smile.

Toby smiled and walked over to Emily. Emily wrapped her arms around him. "Call me when you get to Paris. I don't care if it's at four in the morning here. I want to know that you got there," she whispered to him. He nodded in response.

Toby was the first to pull away. "Thank you, Emily. For everything," he said before walking away.

Emily stood for a moment, staying for a minute later, even after she knew he was already out of the building. "This will change everything."

* * *

After one more minute, Emily walked into the apartment again, seeing her friends all still in a state of shock.

"Is he crazy?" Aria asked finally.

All the others shrugged. "Maybe," they all answered in unison.

"Is he really going to follow her to France? She made it really clear that she doesn't want any of us interfering with her relationship," Aria reminded them.

"She has to know sooner or later, Aria," Emily told her.

Aria sighed. "I know, but Spencer's in black-out mode, and it's probably not a good idea to confront her now. I just hope that they're both okay."

There was more silence.

"Do you think that Andrew was going to France with another girl?" Caleb asked suddenly.

The five thought about it for a minute. Finally, Hanna, who was silent this entire time, spoke. "I wouldn't be surprised."

Hanna couldn't bear the feeling lingering in the room anymore. She quietly gathered her things and left the room. Caleb watched her in surprise.

"Is she okay?" he asked with concern.

Emily looked him over once. "It's something that you need to hear from Hanna," she said.

Caleb was determined to find what that was.

* * *

Toby looked out the window again as he waited on the runway for the plane to take off. He couldn't help but feel really anxious.

But why was it exactly? And why was he doing this for Spencer? She had known her for all of about two months.

As he stared out over the dark Atlantic Ocean, the only light being that which reflected off the lights of New York City, lost in his own thought, he realized it reluctantly.

This was love.

And if it wasn't, he didn't know what was.

He was in love with her.

* * *

Hanna rose reluctantly from her bed, her eyes rimmed with red and puffy. She wasn't looking forward to seeing anyone at eleven at night, let alone in this state.

When she saw it was Caleb, a part of her wanted to slam the door in his face. The other wanted to invite him in and tell him everything.

She noticed that Caleb was holding a brown paper bag. "What's that?" she asked, her voice shaky and light.

"The essentials," he smiled. "Phish Food ice cream, rag mags, and a bunch of Jake Gyllenhaal movies."

Hanna succumbed to a smile. Caleb smirked in response. "I knew I could get you to finally smile."

Hanna nodded. "Thank you," she answered.

Caleb set down the bag and looked at Hanna, who avoided any and all eye contact. "Can you tell me why you got so upset?" he asked with concern. "You don't have to. I just want to help you feel better," he insisted.

Hanna thought for a moment before shaking her head. "I can't talk about it. It's got nothing to do with you, but…she really hit a sore spot," she explained vaguely.

Caleb nodded in acceptance. "I get it. But you can talk to me about things, Hanna. I feel like we're good friends now."

_Maybe even more than friends…hopefully. _

Caleb looked around the room and turned. His hand was on the doorknob when he heard Hanna behind him.

"Can you stay with me?" she asked weakly, sweetly, and softly. It came out almost as a whisper.

Caleb stopped before turning around. He nodded and smiled at her.

Hanna turned away to get the things from the bag, a slight smile spreading across her face.

* * *

Aria was putting away the pitcher of water. She didn't hear Jason's footsteps behind her.

"Do you need help with anything?" Jason asked.

She shook her head. "Thanks."

Both stood in silence for a moment more.

"Are you sure you want to stay alone?" he asked. Immediately, he felt a little stupid.

She shrugged. "I'm used to it, but I don't like it," she admitted. "Maybe after the baby is born, that'll change…" she thought aloud. She looked up at Jason, remembering his presence. "Can I show you something?" she asked.

He nodded.

Aria walked away from him, making her way into her bedroom. Jason didn't follow her, but heard the rustling of papers.

Aria walked out a minute later, with a small piece of paper in her hands. She handed it reluctantly to Jason.

He took it and smiled when he saw it. "Is this—"

"That's our baby," she answered with pride.

Jason looked up at her, and it was quite obvious that she was glowing at the mere sight of the sonogram. He already knew how great of a mother she would be, and just knew that he would pale in comparison to her.

"This is amazing," he commented.

"That's your copy," she said. "I have like ten more in my room. I guess I was just hoping you would like to look at her as often as possible," she added.

Jason was surprised. "Her? Isn't it too early to know the gender?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I just always thought it was a girl. I think that it's a girl," she explained.

* * *

Toby looked at the calling card in confusion. It had been years since he had taken high school, and reading was not his strong suit.

He just about followed along, reading how to call the United States and called Emily.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Hey, Em. It's me. I'm in France now," he answered, looking out the window of the hotel he had rented a room in. It was the first one he found vacancy in, and wasn't that far away from the airport.

He could hear her sigh in relief. "How was the flight?" she asked.

"Long and I'll probably need like a day to sleep off the jetlag. I hope I can find Spencer here, somewhere. It's a big city." He sighed. "It's one in the afternoon and I'm exhausted."

"I know, but you have to hold out until ten, at least, or you'll never get over it. And it's the city of love. That means that lovers are bound to meet by fate," she said with a smile.

He was too tired to make a comeback. "Listen, I'll have to call you later, Emily. I have to look out for Spencer."

"Okay. I'll let you go. Just let me know when you find her."

With that, the conversation ended. Toby stared up, wondering where to begin, and enjoying the feel of the soft sheets. The hotel he had to stay at was really expensive. He wasn't complaining about the room, though. It was beautiful.

What was supposed to be five minutes of resting turned into a nap which lasted until four.

He groaned once he saw how long he had taken a nap. His phone rang, almost on cue.

"Hello?" he answered without looking at the I.D.

"Hey, Toby. It's me, Emily," Emily responded. "I just wanted to tell you that Aria spoke to Spencer and she gave me the address of the hotel she's staying at," she informed him.

"Really? Great! What is it?" he asked eagerly.

"It's the Hotel Paris France. The address is 72 rue de Turbigo," she said.

He looked at the guest book sitting on the desk and saw the same name on it. "That's the hotel I'm staying at," he answered.

There was silence for a split second. "I guess that fate is already working away," she murmured.

"Did Aria give you the room number?" Toby asked, ignoring her comment.

"Room 721."

"Thanks, Emily," he answered before hanging up.

* * *

Spencer walked into the hotel room of the hotel she had found last minute at five in the morning. It was so beautiful, she knew despite her sleep-walking. There was a balcony overlooking the streets and it was beautiful. But she just couldn't enjoy the moment.

It was because she had always pictured herself being in Paris, spending the days, with someone she truly loved. And Andrew wasn't there. Why should she be happy?

She fell back onto the bed with a sigh and looked up at the ceiling. Before she knew it, her eyes were closed and she had fallen asleep.

Now, she woke up to knocking on her door at a quarter past four in the afternoon. Spencer couldn't believe that she actually slept for eleven hours, but then again, she hadn't gotten much sleep.

She opened up the door, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She felt as though they were deceiving her. The person she saw couldn't possibly be there.

"Toby?" she asked in confusion. "What are you doing in Paris?" she asked.

"I came here because of you," he answered.

* * *

_Forgive me. I know this chapter was sort of uneventful. Still, I guess I got you guys to a point you've been waiting for for a long time. Toby admitted to himself that he loves Spencer :) This is a turning point._

_Anyway, Chapter 15 is the one to watch, because that's the one with the Toby & Andrew scene. I wrote it yesterday and it might not be the greatest since I wrote it at like midnight, but I loved it. _

**_iAmALittleLiar: _**_I think everyone will feel worse for Spencer in Part Three, because something BIG is said there. I think she's kind of nice to Toby next chapter. I'm pretty sure she doesn't kick him out from anyplace, so that's a good sign, right?_

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_I love writing Hanna's funny scenes. She's the best. She will open up to Caleb really soon. As for Andrew, you'll have to bear with him for a few more chapters until Spencer is done with him FOR GOOD. Well, he's mentioned and his presence is kind of in Spencer's life, but not in a way where she's still in love with him or anything. If you've ever heard the song "Ghost of You" by Selena Gomez & The Scene, that's what I'm thinking Spencer's outlook on Andrew will be after their relationship crashes and burns. _

**_infinitydreamzz: _**_Love makes fools out of us all, doesn't it? And Toby is a sweetheart, so I think portraying him this way is the way he should be. He's the truth through all the lies...the sunshine throughout the darkness...the deliciousness in whipped cream. He's like everything good. _

**_Spoby101: _**_You didn't think I'd leave you hanging, did you?_

**_spoby equals awesomeness: _**_In case I never address it in the story, karma is a bitch and Andrew will get hurt even more than he's hurt everyone in his life (and next chapter you'll learn that it's more than just Spencer). You'll find out that Spencer's denial is very complicated. This whole situation is very complicated. _

**_Guest: _**_Hmm...I think you might have given me an idea._

**_Onedirection2013: _**_Trust me, a lot is going to happen. _

**_Sunset13: _**_Andrew is a big bump in the road plus like fifteen roadblocks in the scope of Spoby. _

**_beautifuldreamerr: _**_If you want to thank anyone for Hanna's "shippity shipping" you should probably go onto Twitter, tweet him a link to the last chapter, and personally thank him, because I got that line from a tweet that he wrote. Because Keegan Allen is awesome and funny and I couldn't pass that up. Thank you, Keegan, for being an incredimazing Toby and providing Drunk Hanna's lines. And I never put it under the categories, but all of my stories are angsty (someone call the person in charge of discovering new words and make that one, because I use it all the time). I just think straight-up fluff is really limited and should probably limited to one-shots (unless it happens to be a collection of one-shots)._

**_spobettes: _**_It'll happen. Spencer will tell him off. And then she'll be sobbing uncontrollably, and then we go eight months into time :)_

**_ALO.24.8: _**_You'd better believe it! Hanna's #ShippityShipping all day, every day. _

**_vondydora: _**_Well, I think that I answered some of your questions this chapter :) and thank you for the compliment. I will clue you in on what happened to Hanna, and it should explain why she's a little wishy-washy with Caleb. There's something haunting her, and it's probably also why she's so adamant with Spencer and Toby, since she knows life is fleeting. And that's all I'll tease right now._

**_Guest (spobyshipper): _**_Hanna's past, I assure everyone, will be brought to light. And there are a bunch of people at school who call themselves awkward turtles, and I'm probably the most awkward of them all. So kisses to the other turtle!_

**_Guest (DedicatedToSpoby): _**_Toby will always be the shoulder Spencer can cry on, that I'm sure of. _

_Okay, so if I get about the same amount of reviews as this chapter (14) I will update. And to anyone who hasn't done so, it would mean a lot of you could check out my Fabrastings story called "Enchanted". Sorry, it's not a Spoby story, but once this one is finished, I have a whole lot of ideas I can choose from to upload something else. __**-Kayson**_


	15. Chapter 14

_**Author's Note: **__I'm ba-ack (in multiple ways)! If you're wondering what I'm talking about, you'll see! ;)_

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

Spencer shook her head, not knowing what to say. She yawned. "Come inside," she insisted.

Toby came in reluctantly. He looked around, noting that this room looked like his, but darker. Spencer had the curtains drawn closed, and there was a dark vibe filling the room.

"How did you even manage to find me?" she asked, not even trying to stifle another yawn as she sat down on the bed.

"A little bird told me where you were," he replied.

She nodded. "It was Aria."

"Sort of."

She sighed. "Why are you here, though? Because of me, I know, but more specifically. Why?" she inquired.

He shrugged. "I just didn't feel right leaving things where they were. I needed you to know that I wasn't trying to be an ass," he explained.

She scoffed. "You didn't have to follow me to France to say that."

"But I did."

He waited for a reaction. When she didn't have one, he continued. "I wanted to make sure that you're okay. I know about Andrew hitting you," he informed her.

Spencer sighed and rose. She looked quite agitated as she paced back and forth. "What I need for you and all of my friends to understand is that I'm a grown woman. I'm twenty-four years old! I don't need you or anyone else to tell me what I can and cannot do! I don't need a bodyguard; I need a friend." She sighed, bowing her head. "I was so excited when I met you, Toby. I was hoping…finally…maybe I could actually have a friend who doesn't mock the person I'm in love with right in front of me. I just wanted to talk to someone, no judgment. I finally got that from you. But then, our friends started bringing you into this, and now you're turning into them." She sighed, aggravated. "I wanted one damn thing. I can't even get that," she said before sitting on the bed.

Toby stared at her. "Spencer, I'm here and all of your friends are here because he doesn't love you. I'm your friend and I'll tell you exactly how I see it. I'm not going to sugarcoat anything to make you feel better. In the end, you're the only person who's going to get hurt. Andrew doesn't love you. And you don't love him, either. You think you do, but you know that there's someone better out there, but you're too scared to take that risk." He paused, looking her over. "Love is about taking the risk. Love is about doing things you normally wouldn't do. You need to step out of your comfort zone and look for something better," he insisted.

"What If I can't find anything better?" she asked meekly, the anger drained out of her voice, replaced with uncertainty.

"You can. I know you can. You're an amazing person, and anybody would be lucky to have you."

When Toby said this, he looked down at his feet. He knew that looking at Spencer would give him away immediately, knowing she was studying him meticulously.

"You deserve better than a boy who's going to cheat on you and abuse you. You're sweet and beautiful and funny…" he began, stopping himself before he got carried away.

She was silent for a minute, trying to decipher whether or not he was lying. "Really?" she asked quietly. Andrew never thought she was funny. Sometimes she even felt he thought of her as annoying.

Toby nodded, looking up at Spencer and biting his lip. Spencer broke the eye contact this time.

"I need to find Andrew. I need to set things straight," she announced. She felt a pit in her stomach and became nauseated.

She just wanted this all to be over with.

* * *

Hanna looked around the room, unenthused by the whole scene. Aria groaned when she realized she was the only one doing actual work.

"Hanna. A little help here?" Aria asked.

Hanna sighed and rolled her eyes, obliging reluctantly. "Honestly, Aria, I don't care anymore. I don't even know why I should be saving Spencer's ass when she doesn't even care," she fumed quietly.

Aria looked sadly at her friend, sitting down on the couch, observing her. "You know that's not true. We're both Spencer's best friends."

"A best friend wouldn't say something like that, Aria! I was just beginning to feel good about myself again, and when she said that, it was like everything I had worked for was gone," Hanna sighed, sitting next to Aria.

Aria rubbed Hanna's back soothingly. "I know that what happened made you really upset. But Spencer was there while you were grieving. Obviously she cares," she insinuated.

Hanna was silent as she looked at the chip in her yellow nail polish. Aria sighed, looking around. "Come on, Hanna. We'd better get to work."

Aria got up and walked up the stairs. After a moment of hesitation and a sigh, Hanna followed.

Aria opened up Andrew's office and looked for something, anything. Hanna looked on his memo pad and found something. "Aria!" she exclaimed.

Aria looked at where Hanna's yellow painted fingernail was pointing and her eyes lit up. "Is that a phone number?" she asked curiously.

Hanna smirked mischievously. "I don't think that's just any phone number." Hanna quickly pulled out her phone and began to dial the number. When she heard an answer, she quickly handed the phone off to Aria, who reacted with surprise.

"Helloooo?" the woman on the other line asked.

"Um, hello. I was just calling to ask if you know Andrew Campbell?" Aria asked, not knowing what else to say. Hanna sighed and rolled her eyes. Aria rolled her eyes at Hanna's reaction.

There was a cocky laugh on the other end. "I wouldn't just say know him. We were practically dating," she said.

Aria's heart sunk for Spencer. "I'm Andrew's sister. He's mentioned a lot about you, and I was just looking around his office, and I figured you could help me. His birthday is coming up and I could really use some help planning this party for him," she lied. Hanna silently applauded Aria's save.

"Sure. I could help you out."

"Can we meet at one at Marcello's in Philadelphia?" Aria asked hopefully.

"That works for me," she said.

Aria smiled as she hung up. "She bought it. Hook, line, and sinker."

* * *

Spencer was completing a crossword as she and Toby finished having dinner at a French café. Toby observed Spencer as she filled in the final letter.

"You're good at those, Spencer," he commented.

She nodded, not looking up.

Toby sighed. "I know you're stressed out."

"Can you please stop acting like you know me Toby? You don't. We've known each other as long as Aria's been pregnant. About six weeks," she snapped. She sighed before putting down the pen. She took a sip of coffee. "I can't do this now. I have too much going on," she murmured.

Toby nodded, trying to understand. "I'm trying to be subjective here, Spencer. What will you do if it is true?"

She tried not to snap at more of this. "I don't know. I really don't."

"Are you in denial to try and protect yourself if it is true?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know," she repeated.

"And what if it's not? What if we were all wrong?" he asked.

Spencer looked down at the floor. "Then I don't know." She sighed. "Everyone thinks that I'll be so relieved if I find out that it was all a misunderstanding, but it's already nearly destroyed my trust."

_And maybe it's already destroyed my life. _

Toby stared at her, thinking about it.

He changed the subject from the potential future to the present. "Do you know where Andrew is staying?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I know he's in this hotel; that's why I booked it. But I don't know what room he's in. I'm going to go find him tomorrow; I'm exhausted today."

He nodded in agreement. "I haven't slept in over thirty-six hours," he admitted.

She nodded. "You should probably go."

* * *

Aria sat anxiously. She sat at a table, tapping her fingers on it. Hanna watched her from the bar, waiting for the woman to show up.

"Want another one?" asked the bartender.

Hanna swiveled around to face her. She had chestnut-colored hair pulled back into a ponytail. She sighed. "I might as well do another shot. What's the strongest thing you've got?" she asked miserably.

The bartender looked over her shoulder. "The best thing is tequila. Everything else tastes like crap," she told Hanna.

Hanna sighed. "I'll take a shot of that. Actually, make it two," she requested.

The bartender nodded. She watched as Hanna stared at Aria. She set down the shots. "I may be crossing the bartender-patron line here, but it's empty and I'm bored. Do you know that girl? Because right now, you're kind of creeping me out," she confessed.

Hanna raised her eyebrow before raising her shot. "She's my friend. We're baiting someone," Hanna explained.

The bartender nodded. "Interesting. Sounds like something I'd do."

"Once she talks to this guy's mistress and reveals what an asshole he is, we won't have to deal with Spencer's heart slowly breaking every day she's with him," Hanna muttered. It wasn't quietly enough so that the bartender couldn't hear her.

"Spencer? Spencer Hastings?" she asked, recalling the name from when she snooped around Facebook.

Hanna raised her eyebrow and turned back to the bartender. "How do you know about her?" she asked before taking the second shot.

"I was with my friend Toby the other day and he was telling me about this girl Spencer and I know her fiancé. He's come here and hit on me before. I've seen him with a bunch of different women," she revealed.

"You know Toby?" Hanna asked.

"I'm Tiffany, one of his best friends," she replied.

* * *

While the two were talking, they didn't even notice that a tall, lithe blonde walked up to Aria. She had jaded, yet sparkling green eyes. Her hair was a honey color and very full lips. She almost looked like the anti-Spencer. Aria found it sort of ironic.

"Are you Andrew's sister?" she asked.

Aria didn't do anything except bite her lip. "I think we need to have a conversation. About Andrew," she explained.

The girl sat down with a look of curiosity mixed with nervousness. "What about him?" the woman inquired.

"Do you consider him your boyfriend?" Aria asked cautiously.

The woman laughed dryly. "Not that I think it's any of your business, but yes, I do. We've been seeing each other for about two months," the woman guessed.

"Did you know that you're the other woman?" she asked quickly.

The woman's face changed dramatically. She wasn't angry, but confused. "That can't be true," she replied.

Aria sighed. "He's a scumbag, but he has a fiancé."

"A fiancé?" the woman asked, her voice raising an octave. "He wasn't wearing a ring…he never looked like a man who was hiding something," she said, the sadness evident in her voice.

Aria frowned. She realized that the only person who wasn't in the dark was Andrew. Spencer was being played, as was this girl, and who knows how many others?

"Are you…are you his…fiancé?" the girl choked out.

Aria shook her head. "My best friend Spencer…she's Andrew's fiancé. And she's still in denial."

The woman closed her eyes and pressed her palm against his forehead. "I can't believe it. I'm the other woman. I could've ruined their whole relationship—"

Aria stopped her quickly. "It's not your fault. You never knew. I'm sure Spencer would understand. You know, if she realized what a bastard her fiancé is. But it's not your fault," she said.

The woman finally came to terms and nodded.

* * *

"So you've seen Andrew here before? Hitting on girls?" Hanna asked, some disgust in her voice.

Tiffany nodded. "More than a healthy amount. He even tried hitting on me a few times. If it wouldn't get me fired, I would've spit in that ass's face. Lucky me, I found a guy who's not a complete idiot," she said with a small laugh.

Hanna smiled. "It's good to know things are working out for at least one person. And you'd better hold onto him and never let him go," she told Tiffany.

Tiffany nodded. "Trust me, I will not let him slip through my fingers. But I don't think I'll have to worry. I found a Tiffany box when I was putting away the laundry buried in his sock drawer," she explained.

Hanna's smile expanded at the thought of a wedding. "Wow. Congratulations! That's amazing."

Tiffany laughed out of happiness. "I know I probably shouldn't be so happy. I mean, he hasn't even proposed and every other relationship seems to be falling apart. I want for Toby and Spencer to realize that they're right for each other. I don't know if you've seen it, but whenever someone mentioned Spencer and Toby was in the room…he just lit up. Like something awesome was happening at that very moment. I think it's love. If it's not…I don't know what is," Tiffany explained before she got back to the other customers.

Hanna thought about that statement for a moment.

_I think it's love._

* * *

_I added another Easter Egg to the story (if you will); there's a line in the song that is "I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause/He never did". I mentioned Toby thinking that Spencer was funny (among other things), and her showing disbelief._

_So, yeah, I'm back (in more ways than one) and Tiffany's back! And she will be around in the next few chapters (and she's going to be back later in the story...and I think and hope you'll find it cute, but you don't know what I'm talking about, sooo...)!_

_Onto reviewers:_

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_If you thought that was a cliffhanger, you are in for a LOT more when I finish Part Two (which will conclude with Chapter Eighteen). It ends on something major. There's some more angst, but the payoff will be greater when the struggle is worse. The struggle is real, my friends. Ha ha. Anyway, thank you for the feedback. _

**_spoby equals awesomeness: _**_Toby is going to be her rock (except for when Spencer wants to be rock-less) and her shoulder to cry on when stuff that happened prior to the prologue happens (so confusing, I know). So thank you for being a faithful reader!_

**_bluebird10023: _**_Sorry for leaving you hanging for a while! Forgive me?_

**_beautifuldreamerr: _**_Not to be a narcissist or anything, but I love how I've written Hanna in this story. I like her past. I keep coming up with twists. And I'm sorry to say, but you won't get that backstory until Chapter Nineteen (forgive me), but that can happen quite quickly if I get some feedback! And I don't think we get nearly enough Toby and Emily on the show, so I made up for it by giving you a surplus in this story. I just feel so warm and fuzzy when I write for Emily+Toby. And now that he's coming to grips with his true feelings, Spencer is the only one not in the loop. I promise she's going to come to her senses...eventually. _

**_Onedirection2013: _**_I know. Toby is just a sweetheart. I love him :)_

**_Sunset13: _**_You're going to find out what Toby is going to do first. I promise Hanna Banana's problems will be revealed sometime in the future. But right now, it's probably going to be mainly this Spencer and Toby charade. Hanna is going to try and be a good friend to Spencer (even though she's pissed off). _

**_MrsKeeganAllen: _**_I'm sorry for the late update! Forgive me, maybe?_

**_rebafan1: _**_Um...WTF? I like The Lying Game as much as the next person but...spam?_

**_Sylviecake231: _**_Spencer's in denial. That's all I have to say about everything. _

**_iAmALittleLiar: _**_Spencer will have to face his betrayal in the face, I assure you. It will get to the point where she can no longer deny it or push it under the rug. And I'd say the Toby/Andrew scene next chapter is very interesting. _

**_dreamcatch3r: _**_The Jaria Baby is going to be a cutie (idk if I revealed the gender yet, but I'll try hard not to slip up). There's possibly going to be some Jaria moments (with their child) in Part Three (chapters 19-27). Haven't decided yet. Andrew, however, will NOT hit Spencer again, but Toby will act as her knight in shining armor (in a way). Chapter Eighteen!_

**_Emmy739: _**_I personally don't think that I would straight-up believe someone if they told me that my fiancé (who I've been with for a while) was cheating on me. I would probably want evidence that he was unfaithful. And if I did trust the person to tell me the truth, I probably still wouldn't want to believe them, which is what I think is going on with Spencer right now. So thank you on the realism note :)_

**_vondydora: _**_Spencer and Toby will certainly have civil conversations. As for Toby and Andrew? It's semi-civil. Jaria is really fun to write, and different because I almost never see Jason and Aria fanfictions. Darn that wasted potential on the show._

**_SpobyTreegan: _**_You're my 100th review (which makes you cool)! Anyway, thanks so much! Their friends are schemers and they're totally plotting to get Spencer and Toby together (and Hanna shippity ships them). And sorry to disappoint, but Spoby sex will not happen in Paris. Sorry. But keep reading, and it might just happen (maybe...I make no promises) xx_

**_infinitydreamzz: _**_Aw! Thanks! And he does love Spencer very much._

_And I'm going to take back everything I said on how the confrontation was written. I feel like writers often give so much hype for it to be disappointing so...the next chapter sucks. I'm sorry, but it does. I can't believe this happened. But in my defense, I wrote it at 2AM. Never mind. It just sucks. _

_So if you would like to read my sucky chapter with its sucky Andrew and Toby scene, I will update if I get 115 reviews! Byeas! __**-Kayson**_


	16. Chapter 15

**_Author's Note: _**_I cannot imagine why, but you guys wanted to read this chapter. The Toby/Andrew confrontation you guys have waited so long for is in this one! Stuff happens. Kind of. I don't remember. I wrote it a few weeks ago and my computer is really pissing me off since now it won't let me type an uppercase I or uppercase O without using Caps Lock (for one letter...stupid), but it works for every other letter (and it just had to be I...the one letter that must be capitalized all by itself...smh)._

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

Spencer raised her hand to knock on the door. She looked back. Toby ushered her on. He was to stay outside if and when Andrew answered the door. He was going to wait for her.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She knocked lightly on the door. After a moment more of waiting, she knocked again. Toby leaned against the wall, where he knew Andrew wouldn't see him.

A moment later, the door opened up. Spencer looked at Andrew, who was standing, shirtless, and obviously just out of the shower.

"Spencer?" he asked, the surprise evident in his voice.

"Can I come in?" she inquired weakly.

Toby watched as Spencer walked in, abandoning him completely. He sighed as he looked down at the floor. He would always be a second choice.

* * *

Inside, Spencer brushed past Andrew. She saw the disheveled sheets and a bucket of champagne. She felt a pit at her stomach.

"So it's true?" she said, the energy drained out of her voice.

"What?" Andrew inquired from behind.

Spencer turned and faced him. "Just tell me if it is. I don't want any superfluous story or anything. Are you cheating on me?"

Andrew looked her straight in the eye and said, "No. Why would you think that, Spence?"

Spencer breathed out, looking back at the room. It still looked a little suspicious. "Why do you have a bucket of champagne?" she asked. She knew it was a typical romantic drink.

"They gave it to me with the room. Don't ask me why, Spence. We're in France, after all. Did you come all the way here to ask me that?" he asked.

She faced him again. She grabbed his hands. "No, of course not," she lied. "I came because I wanted to surprise you. And I have a surprise of my own." Okay, so it wasn't a total lie. She went for those additional reasons, as well. "I trust you," she assured him as she saw his skeptical look.

He smiled. He gave her a peck on the lips and sent Spencer on her way. "We can have lunch together. I have a dinner meeting," he informed her.

"Okay. Can I come back in like an hour?"

"I'll just text you the restaurant and we can meet there," he corrected.

Spencer walked out of the room, not even noticing Toby's presence. Andrew's face dropped as he saw him. Spencer simply walked away, leaving them alone.

Andrew shot Toby a steely glare. "She didn't tell me that she brought a mutt with her," he sneered.

Toby rolled his eyes. "She didn't tell me that she was engaged to an ass," he retorted.

Andrew narrowed his eyes. Toby stood up, getting off the wall. "Can I talk to you?" he asked.

Seeing no viable reason to say no, Andrew allowed Toby into his hotel room. He closed the door behind him.

"Why are you cheating on her? Is it because you don't like her body? Is it because you don't think she's good in bed? What is it?" Toby asked. He caught Andrew off guard. Honestly, he caught himself off guard, too.

"It's not really any of that. It's just sex. It's nothing personal," he explained.

Toby felt himself getting more and more disgusted each passing second. "How can you say that? She's making a life commitment to you and you're betraying it. And for what? Just sex," he scoffed.

"Listen, it's not your life. I don't expect you to understand," Andrew said.

"What I understand is that you're an ass. And you don't deserve Spencer. She deserves so much better than you. She deserves someone that's not going to lie to her, or abuse her. Yeah, I know about that, too."

Andrew rolled his eyes. "And who do you think that'll be? You?" He began to laugh evilly, making Toby feel small. "She's so out of your league. The two of you aren't even in the same stratosphere. Spencer comes from money and class. She's not going to settle for _you_. She's used to having a comfortable lifestyle and everything handed to her. She can never get that from you," he explained.

Toby sighed. "Do you even love her? Just tell me, because whatever I say to her doesn't go through to her brain."

"Marriage doesn't have to be about love. It's all just a business transaction. That's all it is. People like you and Spencer are so naïve, believing that everyone will get that happy storybook ending like you see in the movies. Love is just a state of mind. It doesn't exist."

At that moment, even though he was completely disgusted by Andrew's character and morals, Toby felt bad for him. He didn't even believe in love. "You're wrong."

Toby proceeded to leave. He stopped as he opened the door. "And tell your French whore that I said bonjour," he said.

Andrew rolled his eyes as a skinny brunette walked out of the bathroom, where she had been for the last two conversations. "French whore?" she questioned.

* * *

"He paid a _hooker _to have sex with him and lied about it?" Emily asked incredulously as Toby sat at the table in his room.

"Yes. And then he hid her in the bathroom for until after Spencer and I were gone. I guess he wanted some afternoon delight," Toby explained over the phone.

He heard Emily gag over the phone and had to stifle a laugh. "Don't even let me think about it," she said.

"Em, as much as I want to hate him, I feel kind of bad for him. He doesn't believe in love. He just believes in sex and thinks that marriage is a business deal," he explained.

Emily whimpered at the idea. "That's kind of sad, but he's still a jerk."

Toby glanced down again at what he was drawing. It was a white and purple orchid on some brown paper. He kept thinking of them and didn't understand why. He also kept thinking of pink hibiscus flowers.

"I've got to go to sleep, as I'm trying to wash out the image of Hanna and Caleb eye-sexing, but I can't shake it. I think I have to take a bottle of cough syrup and a horse tranquilizer. Maybe that'll do the trick," she joked dryly.

"Sounds like a plan. Bye Emily. Be careful with that horse tranquilizer!" he teased. She laughed and hung up.

He hoped repeatedly that Spencer would be okay.

* * *

Hanna, Caleb, Aria, and Jason were all sitting in Hanna's living room, eating Thai food. There was an elephant in the room, and all four of them knew what it was.

"Do you guys want dessert?" Hanna inquired, being a good hostess.

There were scattered head shakes and "no's". Hanna leaned back in her spot.

"I think that I'd better get going. I've been really tired lately. You know, with the baby and all," Aria explained, getting up.

Jason followed. "I'll help you home," he said.

"I can open my own door," Aria argued.

"We can go home together, then. I want to call it a night, too," he explained.

Aria simply shrugged it off as she and Jason both left the room. Hanna and Caleb watched them go. Hanna quickly got up and began gathering things and cleaning.

"Can I help?" Caleb asked.

Hanna shook her head. "I'm fine," she insisted. She simply put the dishes in the dishwasher and sat back down with a sigh.

"Hanna, I need to ask you something. Where are we?" he inquired.

"What do you mean? We're in my living room, which is in my apartment, which is in my apartment complex, which is in Rosewood, which is in the United States of America, which is on Earth, which is in the solar system, which is in the Milky Way, which is—"

"I wasn't talking about that," Caleb said, cutting her off.

She knew that. She was just buying time. She looked down at the carpet, playing with it. "I don't know. I like you, but…I feel dirty doing anything with anyone else," she explained.

"Why?" He could read the look on Hanna's face. She looked scared. "You can trust me."

Hanna looked up. She wasn't distrusting of him, but distrusting of herself. She quickly turned to change the subject. "I think that Spencer and Toby are being ridiculous. They love each other. I can't see why Spencer can't just drop her deadbeat boyfriend and move onto better, more muscular things," Hanna said, putting the façade back up that she was a girl who didn't really care about what happened before. He knew that wasn't true. Caleb sighed.

"Hanna, you can confide in me—" he began.

"Can you please just drop it? I'm sorry, Caleb, but I'll tell you," she exclaimed. "Eventually," she added quietly.

* * *

Spencer walked into Toby's hotel room with a box of croissants and two coffees (hers was extra strong).

"French Roast, two sugars and a splash of milk and a chocolate croissant," Spencer announced. "How did I do?" she asked.

"Good. But you got the regular napkins instead of the biodegradable ones," he jested.

She rolled her eyes. "Shoot me," she teased.

Toby laughed. Spencer sighed as she sat down on the bed with her coffee, which Toby knew was black. The notion of drinking something so bitter made Toby want to gag, but he didn't show it.

He sat down at the table, while Spencer brought her legs to sit cross-legged on his bed. She sighed in delight.

"Honestly, Toby, I don't know what you all—and I—were so worried about. Andrew is fine. He's never done anything bad," she shrugged.

Toby looked at her sadly, thinking to himself that she was already in too deep. "Is he still hitting you?" he asked cautiously.

She paused for a minute, breaking eye contact. "It was one time. He was extremely drunk. It hasn't happened since," she explained.

"I know that's a lie."

Spencer hung her head. "What am I supposed to say? It hasn't happened in a while. He got aggravated. It didn't mean anything," she insisted.

"That's what everyone says. And then those women end up running away. They don't even know where, but once other people realize there's something wrong, and only after they realize their children are in danger, they run. I don't want you to be that girl, Spencer. You have so much going for you. You're young, you're beautiful, and you're smart. Maybe you're a little naïve, but you're still incredibly insightful, sometimes I think without you even realizing it. But right now, you seem jaded. You seem…different when you talk about Andrew. You seem tired and defeated. You seem like you're trying to prove something, to him, to your friends, to yourself. And I hate seeing you like that. You shouldn't have to try with love. It should just…happen," he said with a shrug.

She sighed, the agitation clear on her face. "I keep feeling like I have something to prove because none of my friends like him. And I love him. What are you supposed to do when the people you care about most in the world seem to hate each other? I can't control who I fall in love with. It happened by accident," she stated plainly.

"I don't want to argue about this," he muttered. He looked outside the window. "Have you gone sightseeing since you've been here?"

"Andrew and I went to the Eiffel Tower yesterday," Spencer answered brightly.

_Somebody should've pushed him off._

Instead of saying that, Toby faked a smile. "It must've been cool. I heard it looks amazing at night, with all the lights," he said.

She nodded. "I can see it from my window, off in the distance. It looks beautiful," she agreed.

Toby smiled, but really wasn't sure how many more conversations like this he could take. It was exhausting, holding such a deep, heartfelt secret. His heart was breaking slowly and he knew that Spencer's would likely crumble as well.

* * *

_So you guys wanted to read my sucky chapter. That was it. I will update again if I get 15 more reviews (though you guys worked pretty quickly, so it should be a cakewalk). _

_I was supposed to be doing summer work, but I would much rather chat with you guys and watch The Powerpuff Girls, #90skidswag. Cartoons now suck (except for The Cleveland Show...and I kind of like Bob's Burgers, too. And The Simpsons, but you've got some OGs on the show). Anyway..._

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_So there was a minimal amount of Spandrew in this chapter, but there's more in the last couple of chapters (especially the last one). There's like three more chapters left in Part Two, and afterwards, Spandrew is toast. But sorry, Toby didn't kick is ass... probably wanted to, but that's not how Toby rolls. _

**_spoby equals awesomeness: _**_As I was writing the scene for the other girl Andrew was seeing, I started to feel really bad for this other girl. She's like Spencer. And Spencer is as stubborn as a bull. Toby's pretty stubborn, too, but he has nothing on Spencer. _

**_Emmy739: _**_Trust me, it's entirely possible for me to write something sucky. But people just don't think it is. I don't really know why. And I hope this scene lived up to your expectations!_

**_spobettes: _**_:D *smiling like an idiot reading your comment*_

**_Onedirection2013: _**_I'll get to it, eventually. I think I might have a surprise for you in store in one of these chapters...hmm...you've given me an idea._

**_Sylviecake231: _**_Spencer will catch Andrew, Toby's going to handle it like a boss, and Spencer will find her way. There's a time jump in between Part II and Part III so you will see Aria's baby sooner than you think :) _

**_iAmALittleLiar: _**_This isn't a Spoby story for nothing! But Spencer still has some growing up to do, herself. Things will become clearer in the next 4-5 chapters. _

**_Sunset13: _**_I've been thinking about where I can add in some bromance between Toby and Caleb, because I love them and I was fangirling so hard. They're probably on par with Spanna for my favorite friendship pairings. _

**_mimster259: _**_Thank you!_

**_mrs-cavanaugh: _**_Spencer and Toby made up as friends, but things are far from over for them. I've been thinking about how I'm going to establish them as a couple, but I don't have a ton of this story left (believe it or not 12 chapters+an epilogue). But Spencer and Toby will get together and will have been together for the last few chapters and I'll be able to write a little bit more of fluffy Spoby. _

**_beautifuldreamerr: _**_Toby is certainly a little more articulate than some of her friends in regards to where his concern is coming from. And I've tried extra hard to make the friendships in this story concrete, because they're like a family. And although I've made Andrew the bad guy in all of this, he does have a backstory. I don't think that I'll ever address this in the story (because without it, it's still a thorough explanation of what happened with Spencer and Andrew), but Andrew came from a similar background as Spencer. I mentioned in the first few chapters (I think) that Spencer's parents like Andrew more than any boy she's dated, and she hasn't really felt valued in her family. Andrew is similar in regards that his parents have extremely high expectations for him. They want him to take over the business, but he's dealt with things in a very different manner. He's become very hard and he doesn't believe in love (like he's told Toby in this chapter). So deep down inside, there is a person there, but he's very different from Spencer. He's very closed off and doesn't really let people in, nor does he believe in love, while Spencer is very hopeful and naïve. _

_**tiffaniehaisman: **__Thank you so much! And I'll try :)_

**_dreamcatch3r: _**_There's a whole list of things that I've had recurring in the story when it comes to Spencer and Toby. I think unknowingly, I put that café bit in. The entire list, and everyone can keep a tab on how many times I've mentioned them throughout the story (and some appear more often than others, and in later chapters): __**crossword puzzles**__, __**coffee**__, __**the color red**__, __**white orchids **__and __**pink hibiscus flowers**__, and __**brown paper napkins**__. They appear several times throughout the story (I've already mentioned the flowers more than once, I think, and they have their own meaning). And cafés in France just seem cool...I think we all want to go to one. _

**_mickeymack16: _**_The song is beautiful, isn't it? I used to love Taylor Swift (not so much nowadays), but I think she's an excellent songwriter, and the song is very meaningful._

_I just reread Chapter Sixteen very briefly, so I will tease: next chapter, Tiffany comes back, there's Jaria, and flustered and confused Toby. There's like a page and a half on word with just Toby and his feels. And that's it. I don't remember if Spencer is in next chapter, but I think it's developed a little bit more around Toby and his friends (Emily, Tiffany, etc.). It's okay (I don't want to say it's cool, I'm so excited for you guys to read it because I don't want the hype and then you guys to be disappointed). _

_Hashtags today are #SpobyvsSpandrew, #SpobyFTW, #HannasSecret, and #FrenchWhore. And just for kicks, #KaysonIsBored and #UpdateKayson. _

_#KaysonHas90skidswag. Just because. _

_Yeah, so 130 reviews on my story and I'll update! __**-Kayson**_


	17. Chapter 16

**_Author's Note: _**_Sooo...I don't know what to say. I love reading your feedback and all, but I think you're mostly interested in this chapter, so here it is. _

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen**

"Pick up, damn it! I spent good money I could've used on shoes on this calling card and I'm already pissed at you, you—"

Before Hanna could continue her rant, Spencer answered.

"Hanna?" Spencer asked weakly, surprised.

Hanna noted that she sounded very tired. Glancing at the clock, she suddenly realized that it was 2 AM in Paris and that she likely interrupted Spencer's religious sleep schedule.

"Hi. Can we talk? I have like three hours on this card and all the time in the world," Hanna said.

Spencer breathed a sigh of relief that Hanna was actually speaking to her. "Of course," she answered gently.

"You need to listen to me, and I swear, if you make one lame-ass excuse for Andrew, I will hang up this phone and I won't call back."

Spencer sighed, but said, "Go on."

"Alright, so Aria and I found a phone number in Andrew's office—" Hanna began.

"What were you doing in his office?" Spencer interrupted. Frankly, she didn't even remember giving Hanna or Aria a key.

"Spencer," Hanna said in a warning tone.

Spencer quickly clamped her mouth shut. "Sorry."

Hanna sighed and began her story over. "Anyway, we found a number in his office. Aria called it, and we met with this girl. I don't remember her name. It started with a B…Britney, Bailey, Brooke, I don't know. Anyway, she was Andrew's girlfriend. A _girlfriend, _Spencer. She didn't even know about you. She was seeing Andrew for two months. How can you deny that? And the bartender at this bar, Tiffany, one of Emily and Toby's friends from New York, said that she's seen him there with a bunch of girls, and he even tried hitting on her," she said.

Spencer was speechless. She didn't want to lose Hanna, but she didn't want to believe her, either. "I don't know what to do, or what to say, Hanna," she explained.

"Say, I'm sorry, but I'm not, take back your giant ring!" Hanna exclaimed.

"It's not that easy, Hanna," she said.

"Well, what's so difficult?" an agitated Hanna asked.

Spencer fidgeted for a moment. "There's a lot more that you don't know about," she mumbled.

"Spencer, I am one of your best friends. I know that you're insecure, and you feel like this will be your last chance. Wake up. You're twenty-freaking-four! You have your entire life ahead of you, and in case you haven't noticed, you have an insanely gorgeous guy who I'm sure wants to be the one to love you more that wants nothing other than you. And even if you don't think Toby's the one, don't you think you can do better than Andrew? He's scum at the bottom of your shoe. You can do better. Way better. You're gorgeous. You're smart. You're amazing. Spencer, I don't want you to live your life unhappily. Everybody who is telling you that you can do better is doing it because they care about you. We all know you're going to be unhappy. You've never been the woman to want to stay in the house, barefoot and pregnant, while your husband has a hundred different mistresses. Why are you that girl now? What has he done to you?"

_What has he done to me?_

* * *

Emily and Tiffany sat down on the couch. Both were in their pajamas and they were sitting down to watch _Black Swan. _

"I'm really glad to have a Girls' Night, Em. I feel like we haven't talked in forever," Tiffany said.

Emily shrugged. "To be honest, I was kind of skeptical about this entire night, but I'm really glad you came over. I like having you here."

Tiffany smiled. "I like being here. And if we're being totally honest, I have a big secret I want to tell you. You're the first person I've told about this, so you have to swear you'll let me tell Toby. It's my big day, damn it!" Tiffany explained with a laugh.

"Come on, Tiff! Just tell me! You're killing me with suspense here," Emily joked.

Tiffany laughed. She reached into the pocket of her sweatshirt, sliding something on her finger. She showed it to Emily.

"I'm engaged," she announced.

Emily's jaw dropped as she examined the ring. She usually didn't like being very girly about things like this, but she threw those predilections out the window. She looked at the rock, which was sparkling even though it wasn't in direct light. Emily became afraid to see her in direct light for fear that it would blind her. "To your boyfriend? Shane?" she asked.

Tiffany nodded eagerly. "We're getting married next October. October 16th," she explained. It was a whole seventeen months away, but she still looked extremely excited.

"Congrats," Emily said as she hugged Tiffany.

Tiffany sighed. "You'll be one of my bridesmaids, right? Please say yes," she pleaded.

Emily smirked, faking a look like she was thinking about it. "I don't know. My schedule is pretty busy…" she bantered.

Tiffany playfully smacked Emily on the arm. "You're too much, Em."

Emily laughed.

"So, have you spoken to your friends? Hanna and Aria, I think her name was?" Tiffany asked.

Emily furrowed her eyebrows. "What about Hanna and Aria?"

"They came to the bar the other day. They were asking about Andrew and met with one of his girls. She looked crushed, but I wasn't going to ask her about it. Hanna told me more. I talked to Toby about it, but you know he's too much of a sweetheart to really tell me the whole story," she said.

Emily gave a half-smile. "And Hanna is the total opposite. She'll tell it to you exactly how it is; no sugar-coating," she added.

Tiffany nodded.

"It's bad. I wish that things could work out, but you know that this war won't be over without any casualties," Emily said pessimistically.

Tiffany watched her, discontent. She sighed, shifting on the couch. "Well, we can worry about that another time. Tonight is about Tiffany and Emily, so we're going to cuddle for a Girls' Night in, and try not to flip out while watching Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis act extremely creepy," Tiffany prompted, before pressing play.

* * *

"You do realize that bringing a pregnant woman out this late at night is a bad idea, right?" Aria asked.

"Can you just get into it a little, Aria? Tonight, you're not pregnant or anything. You're not dealing with Spencer and Andrew. You're not acting like a mother. You're just being Aria. You're just having fun while you still can," Jason reminded her.

Aria found it intriguing how he made her feel completely different from everyone else. She just felt more carefree and loose when she was around him. Nothing really mattered, and she was content with that.

She dug her spoon deep into the remnants of the sundae she had gotten. "I want to, but I'm just really scared. Children are expensive, and I'm not sure that my parents will be pleased or very supporting of this entire situation," she said, looking into the paper cup.

"Aria, I don't want you to worry. I'm going to help you. I don't want to be a deadbeat father," he explained. He sighed. "Can we stop talking about this? I feel like if we're going to be raising a child together, we should at least know each other in more depth," he reminded her.

She nodded. "You're right; you're right. It's just been on my mind. I'm sorry," she apologized.

'You don't have to apologize. It's an awkward situation for both of us," he informed her.

She tried to find the light. "I'm glad that if I have to have a baby, at least you're the father," she said with a weak smile.

"Hey, we're in this together," he reminded her, taking her hand.

She had to smile at this.

Once they finished, both of them walked back to their apartment complex, arriving at Aria's apartment first.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye for now," she sighed.

"Can I give you a goodnight kiss?" he asked shyly.

She nodded, biting her lip.

Slowly, and very tenderly, they embraced. The kiss left Aria wanting more, but she realized, given the current circumstance, it probably wasn't a good idea.

"Goodnight," she said, before opening her door and walking inside.

Jason smiled as he walked away. He went to sleep easily that night.

* * *

Toby wished he could say the same for himself. He spent a majority of the night tossing and turning, switching pillows, flipping them over, switching sides of the bed, and eventually pacing back and forth on the floor, looking out the window. He glanced at the clock, seeing it was past 3 AM, and he surely had to go to sleep sometime soon.

As much as he mentally tried to persuade himself into sleep, he couldn't do it. He found it impossible. He was beyond annoyed.

Why was Spencer so important, anyway? Why couldn't she just be his friend? Why couldn't he talk to her without feeling like an awkward, hormonal teenage boy? Why couldn't she just be like any other girl he knew? Why couldn't they be just friends?

Because they just _couldn't_. He was sure of it, and he hated that idea. It hurt too much to love her. He wondered why he even dealt with being so heartbroken for Spencer.

Because he just _had to_. Because she was _Spencer Hastings. _Because somewhere in his heart of hearts, he wanted her to leave Andrew and he wanted to be with her. It was probably one of the most selfish thoughts Toby ever had, but he wanted her to himself. He wanted to be the one to pick up the pieces if and when it all came crumbling down for her. He wanted to be the one to hold her during the dark days, support her through the hard ones, and share with her the good ones. He wanted to be there for her no matter what. He just wanted to share everything with her.

He shook the idea out of his head. Somewhere, he had a nagging feeling telling him that she wouldn't leave her fiancé. They met at the wrong time at the wrong place, and that was just fate being horrible to him. He hated that doubt. He hated that he'd have to sit by idly and watch her move on with someone else, start a family with someone else, _love someone else. _

He told himself that he was being selfish. If he truly loved her, he would want her to be happy, even if it meant sacrificing his own happiness. That was what love was—making sacrifices for the person you loved.

But did love mean that you'd sit and watch that person suffer? He worried not only for Spencer's heart, but also for her physical state. He was worried that one day, it would be too late to save her, and she would end up injured or worse as a result of Andrew's vacillating temperament. He couldn't deal with the idea of visiting Spencer in the hospital, or, even worse: her funeral.

He felt himself choking at the mere thought of it. He tried to push it out of his mind, but nothing was working.

He was starting to wonder if she really was driving him insane, if that were actually possible. He felt like he was making up both sides of the conversation, and internally debating with himself. That wasn't what sane people do.

Right?

He lay down in bed, sighing. After deciding that was uncomfortable, he rolled over onto his side. He just thought about Spencer, until those thoughts melted into him imagining a world where Andrew didn't exist, and he felt himself falling asleep.

* * *

_So I don't have much time now, so long story short, 145 reviews=Chapter 17. I honestly don't remember what happened exactly in that chapter, but the sooner Chapter 17 goes up, the sooner Chapter 18 goes up, and that's the one Spencer finds out! And after that, in Chapter 19, we find out...dun, dun, dun, HANNA'S SECRET!_

**_spoby equals awesomeness: _**_Well she sort of does. Oops, I teased. And I'll be glad to address that. Like Toby said, whatever he says about Andrew (and whatever anyone says about Andrew), she doesn't really believe or want to believe. You'll figure out why very soon. And he didn't actually see the girl, he just took an educated guess (which was right!)_

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_#SpandrewBreakup will be trending after Chapter 18. And yes, I'm sure there would've been an "accident" if any of Spencer's friends were on the Eiffel Tower with them :)_

**_infinitydreamzz (Pt. 1): _**_Yeah, he's a twisted jerk, but Toby feels for him cause it's pretty evident he got screwed over when he was younger (as it's the only reason that he could come out so twisted). So Toby is a good person. He has empathy. And this is like my last ditch effort for people who want to ship Jaria._

**_infinitydreamzz (Pt. 2): _**_There may be more Toby/Andrew interaction, but I wouldn't count on it. If it is, it's pretty minimal. The only other character interaction Andrew will probably have at this point is with Spencer. And Andrew won't advertently try and hurt Spencer. And thank you, my love :D_

**_MrsKeeganAllen: _**_Aww, thanks. _

**_sleepinthekeegs: _**_Ha ha ha, you reminded me of my best guy friend Julien. He texts me "Woo Kayson" like all the time now...inside joke from my school, but it was funny. Yeah, I'm awkward. _

**_Onedirection2013: _**_Thanks! I will definitely keep updating. _

**_Sylviecake231: _**_Spencer is quite frustrating! And Jenna is getting around quite a bit as of lately. And I'm totally cool with the rambling. _

**_iAmALittleLiar: _**_The happy ending will be as beautiful as I can possibly make it. Just remember that I love the happy ending just as much as you guys do! I am a total Spoby shipper (though I do love the conflict)!_

**_mickeymack16: _**_I read all of my lovely reviewers' comments and respond to each one! I feel like it's the least I can do for your unconditional support. I get so happy when I see a new review, and they truly brighten my day. I also hate to leave a single question or comment unaddressed. I don't think I'll kill off Wren, but idk about Spoby babies (though their babies would be beautiful)...maybe if I write a sequel? I'm undecided about that now, and I will likely make my decision final by the end of this story._

**_spobettes: _**_I think all of my readers would just love pushing Andrew off the Eiffel Tower. And thanks so much!_

**_Spoby101: _**_Your comments make me so emotional! And you're welcome! _

**_Sunset13: _**_Spanna and Taleb are my favorite crackships on PLL. Love them so much. _

**_beautifuldreamerr: _**_I basically wanted to establish in the last chapter that Andrew isn't a total jerk. People aren't born evil (though that topic can be debated). Andrew wasn't born a heartbreaker. He just learned that way (possibly from influence when he was younger). And I feel as though Toby's greatest (and sometimes worst) character trait is his ability to forgive. It's both a gift and a curse. Like Andrew said, it's really not a charade, in his mind, but a "business transaction"; his family is influential and wealthy, as is her family, so it would only make sense that they'd be together, right? That was what I was trying to go for. And Spencer might not be as oblivious as everyone seems to think._

**_vondydora: _**_And I'm being quick with this one, as well! In Toby's eyes, Spencer is very precious cargo, if you will. I'm a sap who oozes romance without trying :P And Spencer is smarter than you think. She won't need the help of Tiffany or Toby or anyone at all. It's complicated. You'll see as it unfolds. I was going for "Toby loves Spencer so much, it hurts", because I've had moments where I've felt like that before, and I think it's a beautifully tragic, honest, vulnerable place to be. And I know some people were expecting more, but I wanted Toby to feel pity and maintain his integrity since I feel like that's a major part of his character. I promise Hanna's secret will come out soon...ish. _

_So, I promise that this whole thing with Tiffany getting engaged has a point and you'll see it later (though I won't mention how). _

_Get me those 145 reviews and I'll update! __**-Kayson**_


	18. Chapter 17

_**Author's Note: **__I don't know what to say. Here is chapter seventeen!_

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen**

Tiffany and Emily woke up the next morning, and Tiffany woke to the smell of coffee. She saw Emily, who looked like she just woke up, standing in front of the fridge.

"Have you been awake? Or did you just wake up?" she asked.

"I woke up like two minutes ago," Emily replied.

Tiffany got up, shaking out some pins and needles from her arm. "I think I'm going to call Toby soon. It's probably like two in the afternoon there," she said, glancing at the clock, which read a quarter-after eight.

"Good idea," Emily commented, pouring coffee for the both of them. Tiffany took hers graciously. "Do you want to call him now?" she asked.

Tiffany shrugged, taking out her phone. She called the number, putting it on speaker so they could both hear him.

In Paris, Toby received the call quickly. He smiled when he saw Tiffany was calling.

"Hey, Tiffany," he answered.

"Hey, Tobes. I'm with Emily and you're on speaker," Tiffany announced.

"Hey there, stranger. How is Paris so far? Have you gotten Spencer to use her brain?" Emily asked.

Toby sighed. "I've tried, Em, but it's not working," he informed her. He rubbed his eyes. Though it was two in the afternoon in Paris, he was exhausted.

"Toby, can I tell you something?" Tiffany asked.

"Sure. Anything," he said. He was a little surprised. Tiffany was not the one to be uncertain about anything. She was always very tenacious and bubbly. Toby had never really known her to be timid or reluctant, ever.

Tiffany bit her lip. "You have to promise you won't be mad," she said.

Emily let out a quiet snicker. She knew what tactic Tiffany was using—she was dragging this out forever to torture Toby. Emily was enjoying this.

"What's going on, Tiff?" he asked.

"You have to promise you won't hate my boyfriend, even though you haven't met him," she teased.

He let out a laugh. "Right now, I'm pretty sure I couldn't hate him. Using too much of it on Andrew," he explained playfully.

Tiffany laughed. "I'm getting married, Toby," she said.

Toby broke out into a smile immediately. "Well now I just have to meet him. I'm so happy for you," he said sincerely.

"You and Emily are the only people I've told. You guys are like family. Which is why you have to save the date for October 16th of next year. Are you going to bring a date?" she asked suggestively.

"Me? With a date? That was a good joke," he retorted.

"I'm serious, Toby. You've got seventeen months to think it over."

* * *

"What brings you back so soon, Aria?" Dr. Reynolds asked as she walked into the room. Hanna was sitting in a seat, examining the odd models and pictures around the room. Aria was sitting on the patient's chair.

"I've been bleeding these last few days, and I just wanted to know if that's okay. I know that if it's a bad thing. I know that if you're bleeding a lot, it could be signs of a miscarriage," she said worriedly. Hanna touched Aria's arm, subtly assuring her that it would be okay.

Dr. Reynolds furrowed her eyebrows. "Well, how much bleeding are you talking about? If it's very heavy bleeding, that's not a good sign. If it's just light amounts, it might just be spotting," she said.

Aria thought about it for a minute, biting her lip. "More than my period…but they're usually really light," she said.

"Well, I think we should look anyway, just to be safe. I'm going to use the machine on your stomach, so the gel will probably feel a little cold," Dr. Reynolds warned, not that Aria seemed to mind.

Within a few seconds, they saw a fetus on the screen, and Aria breathed a sigh of relief, as did Hanna and Dr. Reynolds.

"Nothing serious. You're probably just experiencing some light spotting," she said.

Hanna piped up. "Let's say Aria never told me about her being pregnant. Are there some tell-tale signs that I could use to figure out if someone's pregnant?" she asked.

"Some typical symptoms include mood swings, eating things with no nutritional value, like ice, food cravings, excessive fatigue, and morning sickness. Those are the ones that someone would notice just by being around a person," Dr. Reynolds responded.

Hanna nodded.

"Are you suspecting someone you know is pregnant?" she asked.

Hanna shook her head incessantly. "Oh, no! I was just wondering. I've just been thinking a lot about Aria being pregnant and thinking about what might've let me know earlier," she said.

Dr. Reynolds gave her a skeptical look, but Hanna nodded. Aria looked at her in confusion.

"Anyway, it was great to see you, Dr. Reynolds, but bill Aria because right now she's broke as a joke. Come on, Aria!" Hanna said brusquely as she dragged Aria out of the building. It was clear Hanna was the only one in the world who had even a clue as to what she was doing.

* * *

"I can't believe you just took me to the Louvre. _And _you followed me to Paris. What is wrong with you?" Spencer asked playfully.

Toby simply smiled. He honestly didn't know why he had chosen to take her out for the day. Secretly, Toby knew he was a masochist; a girl like Spencer would likely never love a guy like him.

That wouldn't stop him from trying to make her happy, though. "Where to next, Miss Hastings?" he asked.

"Anywhere. We're in Paris, remember? I want to enjoy everything while I've still got the chance," she explained.

_You're going to need all the joy you can get. _

Toby sighed and nodded. Ever since he admitted to himself that he _loved _Spencer, he felt nothing else when they were together. Nothing crossed his mind except, _I wish that you were mine, Spencer. _

"I think I'm kind of hungry, Toby. What about you?" she asked.

He shrugged. He really wasn't hungry, but he'd use whatever excuse he could get to stick around for a while. "I think there's a café like two blocks from the hotel. We could go there," he suggested.

She smiled. "Sounds like a good idea."

* * *

Half an hour later, they were sitting in the café. Spencer stared out the window. It had started to rain, but Spencer was still quite content, even though she was positive she and Toby would get soaked on the walk back to the hotel.

"Have you spoken to Andrew since you went sightseeing?" he asked.

She shook her head. "He's been busy with work."

Toby nodded, but wondered whether this vacation was to get away from Spencer and spend time with someone else, or if it really was for work. He assumed the former.

"Toby?" Spencer's soft voice snapped Toby out of his reverie. "I just wanted to say thank you for being so great about this. I know you, along with all of my friends, don't really like Andrew and I know what you think of him. But you aren't so blatantly rude about it. And it's really nice to have someone who can actually tolerate him."

_Just barely. _

Toby simply nodded, not broadcasting his thoughts. Then, he spoke. "I know what I think about him. What do you think of him, Spence? I know you love him, but…do you think he's cheating?"

Spencer broke eye contact with Toby, looking out the window. The rain was falling in such a way that when you stepped out, it made a splash. The pavement was reflecting off the dark, gray sky. She stared at the way the raindrops, almost like full, plump tears from the sky, cascaded steadily off of people's black umbrellas. She was thinking about it, but she was really stalling for time. She didn't know how to answer that question.

"I don't know," she answered finally. "I don't want it to be true, but…I don't know. He's been so distant lately. What Hanna showed me was proof. But I still don't want to believe…" she trailed off.

"If it does happen to be true, you know that we'll all be here to support you. Me, Hanna, Aria, Emily; all of us."

Spencer nodded, still not looking at him. "I know that. I'm really grateful for that." She stirred the coffee for the thousandth time.

Toby wanted to ask what was on her mind, but somehow knew that was probably not the greatest idea. Instead, he asked, "When are you going back?"

She shrugged. "I think I'm going to leave on Saturday. I'll look for flights today. We might as well look together, since I assume that you'll want to be leaving soon," she said.

He nodded. "Sure."

Spencer smiled, looking up at him. "You know, I really am sorry for what I did that day, with kicking you out. You're really sweet, and a really good friend."

_You'd probably even make a pretty good boyfriend._

Spencer simply smiled, pushing any other thoughts out of her brain.

* * *

_Oh, I'm sorry. I would've updated yesterday, but I felt horrible. I could barely even move out of my bed. Plus, my mother's house also doesn't have wifi, so I wouldn't do much about that. _

_And I also have to reply to like 28 reviews. This might take a while._

**_HopefulSpobyShipper: _**_Thank you!_

**_elenabee: _**_Oh, thanks. And you read Forget Me Not? I would love to know what you thought about it. I wanted to keep Toby (in the Andrew/Toby confrontation) as sane as possible (since I don't think he would totally lose it). Trust me, a lot will happen in the first few chapters of Part Three. And the engagement will be off really quick (next chapter, actually) :)_

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_Ha ha ha ha! Agreed! _

**_infinitydreamzz: _**_Tiffany will be around. She'll make an appearance in the Epilogue, for sure, but I'm not sure about the rest of the story. I'm two chapters away from finishing writing the book. I don't remember if she was in Part Three. I really do think that she's bringing people together in this story. And pretty much all of Andrew's backstory was stuff that I came up with myself. _

**_usgrlscanrock: _**_She'll find out in the next one! And thank you very much. _

**_Sunset13: _**_The ending is probably sooner than you think (and I'm getting a little sad ending my second story), but I will try to make it as good as I can. And, yes, I do like Glee. Your previous avatar was of the Unholy Trinity, right? Santana is my favorite character, but I was really saddened by Cory Monteith's (and soon, Finn's) passing. He just seemed like a really cool guy to be around and he was a truly talented person. I was considering writing a Monchele/Finchel one-shot, but maybe when Season 5 comes out, I'll write one. But it's going to be really sad for me to write. And you love this story more than me?! Wow, that must be a lot. _

**_Guest (Addictedtospoby): _**_Teeheehee..._

**_ .Breath: _**_Thanks for reading, liking, and reviewing!_

**_spoby equals awesomeness: _**_I got a little emotional writing the last part of the previous chapter, too. You will get an answer to your question quite soon, and it's delicious (if I do say so myself). _

**_mickeymack16: _**_I'm not quite sure what my endgame for Jason and Aria will be, but they've got feelings for each other, and I think they're adorable. I've got my endgame for Spoby in mind, but I just hope that I can write it justice (since it's epic in my head, but words...eh, they're difficult). _

**_tschea526 (first one)_**_: I ship Rockria so hard, like it's not even funny. _

**_Sleepinthekeegs: _**_I hope you enjoyed this one!_

**_Onedirection2013: _**_Thanks for being faithful to this story, and I hope you liked it!_

**_tschea526 (everything else): _**_I'm guessing that you like this, and you want an update. Well, here it is!_

**_Guest: _**_Thank you. I just hate when I read a story and there's like one chapter of actual conflict, and then just, BOOM, Spoby is together. I've only lived for fourteen years, but I'm pretty sure that that's not what happens in real life. Emotions are complicated and stuff._

**_Guest: _**_I've updated!_

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_Jaria is awesome, so is Spanna. Spanna is my favorite liar friendship (sorry, Sparia), and I think Hanna just wants to go to Paris so she can shake Spencer and be like, "Ugh, look at Toby. He's the guy for you. Can you not tell that he's pining for you? See this jerk, Andrew? He's cheating on you. Dump his ass." But you've got to love Hanna. And Toby is like a St. Bernard puppy; he's a gentle giant (except I'm guessing he slobbers a lot less). And next chapter is the #SpandrewBreakup! eh ma god, so excited. _

**_vondydora: _**_Soon, you'll see Spencer is actually much less oblivious than I'm letting on right now. Also, she does and she doesn't want to believe Hanna and Toby and everyone else. She wants to believe that they're telling the truth and that they're right, but she also doesn't want it to be true (if that makes any sense). And stuff will happen eventually. I'll get to it. _

**_Sylviecake231: _**_Here's the next chapter! And I loved the previous chapter of "Forever in the Form of 15 Years". Anyone who hasn't read it already should, because it's really good._

**_Guest (Addictedtospoby): _**_I'll keep updating. _

**_Guest (Crazy Chick): _**_I'm a crazy chick, too. And I'll take that as a good "WOW" (which I hope it is). _

**_Guest (moremoremoremore): _**_I guess you want more? _

**_ : _**_Thank you! I know that there are a lot of similar stories (I know that my last one was really original, and this is just like...eh, my brain gave up), so that means a lot to me!_

_So, to make up for the shortness of this chapter, I'm giving you guys a sneak peek of the next chapter (and hopefully motivation to review. WARNING: there is shirtless Toby)._

Toby had just gotten out of the shower when he heard a knock on the door. He wrapped the towel around his waist, expecting it to be the hotel staff or someone like that. He could've turned beet red when he saw who it was at the door.

"Spencer! What are you doing here?" he asked, trying his hardest to keep the alarm out of his voice, but failing.  
Luckily, Spencer didn't seem to notice. She was, in fact, enjoying the view. Toby couldn't say that his was too bad, either. She looked stunning. Well, she always was, even when she wasn't trying.

"I just wanted to stop by and tell you that I wouldn't be in my room tonight. I'm going out with Andrew. And don't wait up, okay?" she asked.

He nodded, wanting her to just go away. His towel suddenly felt extremely insecure, and the last thing he needed was it falling. Right now.

_So it's pretty short, but hopefully it's motivation :)_

_So, yeah, get me those 175 reviews, and I will update!_

_Also, if you guys could go to and vote for Fabrastings (Quinn+Spencer) in the femslash poll, you would totally make my day, and in celebration, I would update twice (if Fabrastings pulls through). _

_Until next time! __**-Kayson**_


	19. Chapter 18

_**Author's Notes: **__Okay, so I typically don't update twice in a day, but I will make the exception because I really want you guys to read this chapter. It's the one with the long awaited #SpandrewBreakup._

_Oh, and I'm posting this as I'm reading her review, she's too modest, but you should totally check out __**Sylviecake231's **__fanfiction, which is called __**Forever in the Form of 15 Years**__ because it's cool. But she's too modest. You should read it anyway. _

_I must confess, I'm really happy to read your reviews tomorrow (though I think some of you might hate me after this chapter), because I am going to go to bed angry tonight. I was so happy after eating my strawberries with whipped cream and mocha for dessert, and then watching YouTubers not trying to laugh, and then Epic Rap Battles of History (seriously, why did I not watch those earlier? I will admit, the first one I saw was like five days ago with Adam vs. Eve [Jenna Marbles, FTW, by the way], but I think my new favorite either has to be Obama vs. Romney or Cleopatra vs. Marilyn Monroe. I watched Cleo vs. Marilyn like five times in a row), but I had to do this stupid thing for this cruise I'm going on in two weeks, and it's kind of hard to be sane when the stupid form won't work and you have somebody egging you on in the background telling you to FIGURE IT OUT, DAMNIT! _

_Deep breath, Kayson._

_Alright, now here is your Chapter Eighteen (infinitydreamzz: the last chapter of Part II)._

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**

"What are you doing today, Spence?" Aria asked.

Spencer smiled, though she knew Aria couldn't see her. She slid in some diamond earrings. "I'm meeting with Andrew for dinner. He was free, and I haven't even spent that much time with him. I mean, we're in the city of love, and I've been spending more time with Toby," she said.

Aria gave a spurious laugh. _I wonder why that is…_ "Well, where are you going?" she asked.

Spencer shrugged. "Some fancy French restaurant. It has your name all over it," she teased.

"Yeah, okay. I don't even know French. It's like your second tongue, Spencer."

"It _is. _Well, that is, if you're using 'tongue' to describe a language. Otherwise, I don't know," she said simply.

"You're a nerd, and I love you for it. So everything is going well between you two?" Aria inquired cautiously.

Spencer rolled her eyes. "He's not here to screw with some other girl, if that's what you mean," she snapped.

_Oh, well…you'd be surprised. _Aria and Emily had spoken, and Aria was well aware of what Toby saw in the hotel room. Even though she thought Toby should've told her about the girl in his room, she, too, knew it was no use; Spencer would never believe him.

"That wasn't what I was asking. I was just wondering if things were all warm and fuzzy between you guys. You know what I mean," Aria insinuated suggestively.

Spencer shrugged. "It's been fine. Nothing extremely romantic or out of the ordinary. It was just…me coming to check up on him," she explained.

"Whatever, Spencer. Have fun with Andrew tonight. Don't do anything that Hanna wouldn't do," Aria said.

Spencer laughed. "That's not a lot of things, Han."

"Alright, fine. Don't do anything I wouldn't do," she said.

"You're the one who had a drunken one-night stand which resulted in a pregnancy. I know I'm not doing that."

"There are worse things I could do," Aria replied sheepishly.

"I've got to go. Bye, Aria," Spencer said before hanging up.

* * *

Toby had just gotten out of the shower when he heard a knock on the door. He wrapped the towel around his waist, expecting it to be the hotel staff or someone like that. He could've turned beet red when he saw who it was at the door.

"Spencer! What are you doing here?" he asked, trying his hardest to keep the alarm out of his voice, but failing.  
Luckily, Spencer didn't seem to notice. She was, in fact, enjoying the view. Toby couldn't say that his was too bad, either. She looked stunning. Well, she always was, even when she wasn't trying.

"I just wanted to stop by and tell you that I wouldn't be in my room tonight. I'm going out with Andrew. And don't wait up, okay?" she asked.

He nodded, wanting her to just go away. His towel suddenly felt extremely insecure, and the last thing he needed was it falling. Right now.

Lucky for him, Spencer waltzed away, however, she had the image embedded in her mind. Toby couldn't close the door quickly enough. He leaned against it, as if Spencer would attempt to come back in. He wanted her to.

No, he didn't want her to.

Ugh, he was so confused. He sighed and sat down, seeing what shows he could watch in French that he might have a chance at understanding; his French from high school was a little hazy, but he _was _in French IV, so he was pretty advanced.

* * *

Spencer sat down across from Andrew. Suddenly, she didn't really want to be there at all; she didn't want to be in Paris, nor in this restaurant, nor with Andrew. She felt _obligated _to be there.

She got the impression that this feeling couldn't be shaken.

She pressed on a smile anyway, and glanced down at the ring on her finger. Suddenly, it didn't seem so sparkly, or so special.

She was falling out of love with Andrew.

There was no working around it—she was. Things wouldn't—no, couldn't—ever be the same.

She would grin and bear it, but she suddenly knew what Hanna was saying when she said that she would be unhappy. She was unhappy. But as long as Andrew didn't give her a reason to leave, she had to stick it out. For everyone's sake.

She sighed as she put down the glass of wine. She really didn't drink it, but kept picking it up and putting it back down. She ran her finger around the rim of the crystal glass, making it sound.

"Spencer, can you stop? The sound is irritating," Andrew complained.

Spencer put her hand back down on the table. "Sorry."

He shrugged it off. He took Spencer's hand, the one with the finger trapped in the expensive sign of his affection. "Can we talk about wedding planning? We've sort of pushed it aside, and I wanted to talk about it," he said with a smile.

She nodded. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Where we're going to have it? What we're going to do? The honeymoon?" he asked with a smirk.

Spencer rolled her eyes at him, portraying it as a good-natured eye roll, but she was truly sort of annoyed. "Where do you want to go?" she asked.

"Where do you want to go? I wanted to go on a cruise. Or to someplace far, far away. So we could escape from Rosewood for a while," he suggested.

She shrugged. "Anyplace is fine with me. Though I like the idea of a cruise," she answered.

He smiled. "Then, that's what we should do. I love that idea," he answered.

Once again, Spencer faked a smile. She reached out for the wine, but put it back, reaching instead for water. What she really needed at the moment was a vodka, but knew it probably wasn't a good idea.

* * *

About an hour later, after Andrew attempted to woo Spencer (the attempts were unsuccessful), the two walked back to the hotel.

Spencer looked up at the stars, which managed to look bright and beautiful. The moon, which was shaped perfectly into a crescent, looked picturesque and illuminated Spencer's fair face.

"You look pretty in the moonlight," Andrew commented quietly.

She couldn't help but try and contain a blush. It was Andrew acting like this that made her fall in love with him. Spencer remembered.

"I know we haven't gotten any real alone time except for tonight, but do you want to come over to my room tonight, Spence?" Andrew asked.

Spencer looked up at him. She nodded. "Just let me change into something a little more comfortable, okay?" she asked.

Andrew nodded.

Once they were off the lift and parted ways, Spencer going to the seventh floor and Andrew getting off at the fifth, Spencer made a dash towards her door. She quickly took off everything she was wearing and changed into something _much _more comfortable. She threw a silk bathrobe on over it. She reluctantly took her phone with her and ran back outside. She got a phone call from Andrew.

"Spencer? Can you come over in like half an hour? I need to go get something from the store," he told her.

"What is it?" she asked, a little disappointed.

"What do you think?" he countered. Spencer could sense the smirk on his face.

Spencer heard the line go dead. She was about to re-enter her room, but realized that in her haste, she forgot the key inside. So she decided to go over Toby's.

She knocked reluctantly on the door. Toby opened up (and, lucky for Spencer, not wearing a shirt…though, he was wearing pants this time. He looked about ready for bed), surprised to see Spencer.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were going out with Andrew," he said.

"I'm technically still on a date with him, but he had to get something and I locked myself out of my room," she explained, inviting herself into his room. She sat down on the seat in his room.

"But why are you here?" he asked.

"Where else am I supposed to go?"

He shrugged. "You could tell the front desk that you lost your room key and that you're Andrew's wife. They'd give you another one. It's not really a lie; you're about to be his wife," he suggested.

She frowned. "I doubt that would work. Why? Did you want to make a phone call to some hot girl that you picked up in a bar while I was out?" she teased.

"No. It's just a suggestion," he said, shrugging it off.

"Whatever. I'll just go."

With that, Spencer stormed out of the room. Toby rolled his eyes. Women could be so difficult sometimes. He tossed on a shirt and followed Spencer. As he reached the end of the door, he saw that the elevator doors had already closed. He decided it would be faster to just go down the stairs. That meant he had to run all the way back down the hall and run down six flights of steps. By the time he got down, Spencer was already talking to the woman at the desk. Toby caught up to her.

Spencer was already walking towards the elevator.

"I'm sorry I made you mad, Spencer. But I was just insinuating—"

"It doesn't matter, Toby," she said, cutting him off. _No, it really doesn't. Right? _"I'll just hang out with my fiancé. You're right. Besides, I've spent most of this week with you instead of him. And I came here to be with _him_. So thank you for giving me that push," she said.

She walked into the elevator, and found herself in an enclosed space with him, subject to his questions. Still, they were both silent the entire ride up. Toby found it uncomfortable while Spencer found it relaxing.

Spencer stepped out when they arrived at the floor, eagerly getting into Andrew's room. Toby was right on her heels, and saw what made Spencer stop dead in her tracks.

Inside of Andrew's room was a woman, wearing only one of Andrew's dress shirts. Spencer couldn't find out this way. Spencer dropped everything in her hands, staring at the girl, who was preening herself in the mirror.

"Spencer—" Toby began. Before he could choke out anymore, Spencer was already dashing away, running down the stairs. She had thrown the ring on her finger into oblivion. Toby saw that it hit the other girl. If it wasn't such a somber moment, he would've laughed at the girl's reaction.

He chased Spencer down the hall and down the stairs, racing after her into the street and into the rain.

Spencer quickly broke down in a dark alleyway, surrounded by germs and dirt and filth. She didn't really care. She was so mad, and she couldn't believe how stupid she was. Why couldn't she have heeded to her friends' warnings? Why couldn't she have just cut him off when she began to fall out of love with him? Why did it have to end like this?

She began to sob uncontrollably, hearing someone walk up to her and sit beside her, but not bothering to look up. She already knew it was Toby. It was always Toby. He was always there next to her for everything.

"I can't believe they were all right…" she trailed off.

Toby shook his head, rubbing Spencer's back. "He's an ass. You deserve better than that," he insisted.

Her sobs began again, and Toby enveloped Spencer in an embrace. He hated seeing her cry more than pretty much anything in the world. He wanted to take her pain and heartbreak and give her his unconditional love in its place. But he knew that couldn't be done.

"Toby…please tell me that it's going to be okay," she pleaded, rocking back and forth. "Tell me that…what I saw right now…wasn't real."

He took a deep breath. "I wish I could."

Hearing that, she sobbed uncontrollably. She was pretty much inconsolable. His heart was breaking as her tears fell and pressed onto his skin.

She closed her eyes, feeling the tears roll down, and the pain. She just wanted it all to be over. "Why did it have to be like this?" she asked weakly.

"Everything happens for a reason," he said, rubbing her back.

She buried her face into his shoulder. "Why did I have to fall in love with such a jerk? Why couldn't I fall for someone like you?" she asked, wanting to take back those words as soon as they came out.

He pulled back from her, looking into her eyes. Her eyes were still tear-stained and glassy from the tears, but she looked less vulnerable. He rubbed her shoulder.

"Toby, I—"

Without thinking, Toby silenced her with his lips. He was surprised to feel her kiss him back. She liked the feeling of his lips, soft as a feather on hers, and he didn't want to push too far, even if she wanted more. He liked that she knew what she wanted.

Reluctantly, Toby pulled back, looking Spencer in the eye. She stared for a moment, not sure what to say.

She sighed. "Once we're back in Rosewood, this'll all be over, right?" she asked pessimistically.

Before Toby could even register what she was trying to say, Spencer had gotten up and gone back inside.

Spencer quickly got back up the stairs and into her room. She began to cry again. This time, it was because she wanted nothing more than to be with Toby, but she just couldn't. Not now. Maybe not ever. But Spencer just wanted to know what it would feel like to be with him, even just once. It was selfish, at best, but she was heartbroken.

Reluctantly, she looked in her suitcase for something she was dreading for a while.

* * *

Spencer nervously tore open a brown paper bag, taking out the test. She was just barely able to take it.

The entire three minutes she had to wait, her head was spinning. She couldn't stop thinking about that kiss. It was everything she wanted but…everything she didn't, too. She had wanted to kiss Toby for such a long time. But she never wanted all of that to be on her mind when it happened.

It was like her worst nightmare. It was like a death sentence. Spencer knew she was slowly going to deteriorate, all of her, and she would likely not love again.

But it wasn't for the reason you might think.

Spencer's heart dropped thirty stories when she looked down. She had suspected it for a while, and it was the reason that she had given Andrew so many chances. She didn't want it to be true, and she would've left him already, for good. If not for this one thing.

Spencer looked down at the stick in her hands, a pregnancy test.

It was positive.

A mangled sob came from her throat. On what should've been one of the happiest revelations of her life, Spencer felt as though the world was ending. She couldn't be pregnant with Andrew's child. She couldn't be.

* * *

_So I probably did a thoroughly good job at pissing some of you off just now, but I hope things make sense now. Spencer isn't stupid (a little delusional, possibly, but not a moron). _

_The next chapter will be an eight month time jump. Just warning you now. And you finally find out #HannasSecret! OMG!_

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_Aw, thanks! And you should probably feel more bad now. #JustSayin_

**_ : _**_Well, prepare to find out, because the answer you seek will be coming up very soon!_

**_Sylviecake231: _**_I really hope I didn't embarrass you too much at the beginning of this chapter. But it needed to be done._

**_spoby equals awesomeness: _**_I hope I made it clear why she was in denial! Now you know!_

**_MrsKeeganAllen: _**_Sadly, it does have to end, but I still have like ten more chapters, so you can't get rid of me just yet ;D_

**_spobettes: _**_Are you a psychic? ;)_

**_Guest: _**_Well, I guess you got a big treat today, now didn't you?_

**_Onedirection2013: _**_I'm never going to fulfill your yearning, am I? Ha ha, that's cool. Here's more. And I'll give you more...sometime in the near future._

**_elenabee: _**_I am so glad that you are among the people who have read both of my main stories (I've got this other one for Spencer and Glee's Quinn, but not many people have seen it, and I'm kind of drawing a blank on it). Unfortunately, I don't think that a sequel is in the works for Forget Me Not. I was thinking of a prequel (which is kind of like a sequel), but I don't think I'll be doing that. I don't want to overwork that story, because I think it stands alone. It's really not like anything I've ever seen before, and I like it like that. But thanks for your feedback, and I'm glad you liked both stories!_

**_iAmALittleLiar: _**_I did sneak peeks of the next chapter in my last book for like eight chapters until I kind of gave up on it. And I would do one right now, but I want the next chapter to remain a pretty little secret until I update next. _

**_Guest (Crazy Chick): _**_Ha ha, it seems I've met another crazy chick ;)_

**_mickeymack16: _**_Toby is really cute. I love that boy. I should probably stop right now before I get ahead of myself. _

**_Sunset13: _**_I'm listening to Lea Michele's cover of "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" as we speak, and it's making me kind of sad. I can't believe I'm never going to see Cory on TV again, and it makes me feel really depressed. I'll also never hear of a Monchele wedding...Finchel as endgame...I'm starting to feel tears on the horizon. I like Quinn and Santana the most. Brittany's funny, but not one of my favorite. My favs are Santana (love that girl), Rachel, Quinn, Kurt, Finn (RIP, angel) and I sort of like Cassandra July as a new character. Ha ha, I'm weird. And um...okay, on that towel thing._

**_Guest ( ): _**_Hey! Nice avatar. _

**_Addictedtospoby: _**_Love will find a way 3_

**_infinitydreamzz: _**_Yes, this was the last chapter of Part II, so we're moving into Part III for Chapter 19 :D and #ShirtlessToby has yet to make an appearance in Season 4 which makes me kind of sad. Oh well. Soon. _

_Okay, until next time! __**-Kayson**_

**_P.S: _**_I would totally LOVEEEE to get to 200 reviews! *wink nudge*_

_Okay, I'll stop being awkward now. :)_


	20. Chapter 19

_**Author's Note: **__Try not to hate me too much. It's a very atypical situation. And it's very important (how I left off last chapter). I mean, now s**t makes sense, and it comes up now (duh)._

_Do you guys trust me? _

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen**

Spencer sat, staring at the wall. She felt so out of place, but it had become routine over the last eight months.

Before Andrew even got the chance to move back from Paris, Jason, Caleb, Aria, and Hanna had helped her move all her things into Aria's apartment. It was pretty big (especially for one person), but Spencer needed a place to stay. And she needed Aria more than anyone at this time.

But now, of course, she didn't really need anyone. She was moving out of Aria's apartment and into one right down the hall. She had already begun packing, and the room she was in seemed very bare and devoid of life.

She glanced down at the nail polish which was peeling off on her thumbnail.

Slowly, she rose and walked into the living room, seeing Aria there with her daughter, Cassidy. Spencer smiled. Cassidy was a few weeks old, but she had Aria's huge hazel eyes and Jason's light colored hair. It seemed that the only times Spencer smiled these days was when Cassidy was around. The rest was gloomy and horrible.

Aria put Cassidy down for her nap and turned to Spencer. "Do you want to talk about this?" she asked.

"What is there to talk about?" Spencer inquired blandly.

Aria frowned. Spencer had been this way ever since she lost Brandon. "Spencer, I know that losing Brandon was hard for you, but have you ever thought that if you talk about it you'll feel better?" she asked.

Spencer sighed and rolled her eyes. "Aria, have you ever thought that maybe if everyone stopped treating me like a Tiffany glass and making me feel like a toddler, I might have an easier time coping?" she snapped back. Spencer had become bitter and spiteful since it happened.

"Excuse me for speaking," Aria muttered.

Spencer sighed. Things had been horrible for her the last month. She hadn't seen Toby in the last eight months, their last honest, real interaction being that awfully timed-out kiss. She hadn't seen Emily in two or three months. She hadn't seen Hanna or Caleb in over a month. She had barely even left the apartment since losing him. She only saw Jason because he came over to play with Cassidy and see Aria. Even then, Spencer wasn't much for talking. She would sit out on the sun deck or in her room, reading. She had gotten back into the habit of smoking since losing him.

"Have you tried to see it from my way, Aria? What would happen if you lost Cassidy?" she asked.

Aria sighed. "Spencer, I know it's hell and back for you, and I would be devastated and depressed. But smoking and cutting yourself off from everyone else is not the route to coping," she explained.

Spencer sighed. "Whatever. I shouldn't have even come here."

Spencer rose and walked out of the room. Aria sighed. It was clear things could never go back to normal.

* * *

Caleb and Hanna had officially been unofficially dating for a few months now. And by that, whenever someone would talk them up at a bar, they'd politely decline, citing that they were seeing someone else, but failed to acknowledge to their friends that they had a significant other (and denied it when their friends said they were boyfriend/girlfriend).

Hanna looked at her toenails, which were just painted Barbie-pink, in contrast to her light pink nails. Caleb sat down beside her on her couch.

"I need to talk to you, Caleb," Hanna said seriously.

Caleb looked at her nervously. "Hanna, what's wrong?" he asked.

She sighed. "You know how I told you like eight months ago when Spencer said that thing that made me so upset that I would tell you _why _it made me so upset?"

Not really following, he simply replied, "Um…yeah."

"I think I have to tell you now. Because…you're the first serious boyfriend I've had since Scott," she explained.

"Who is Scott?" he asked curiously.

"Scott was my ex-boyfriend. And when Spencer asked if I ever knew what it felt like to be loved and want to do anything for someone, it was because I did, and it felt like she completely disregarded that relationship," she explained.

"What happened?" Caleb asked reluctantly.

She sighed. "He died. Two Decembers ago, he got into a car accident after he slipped on some black ice. He was going over a small bridge in down and went right into the lake. He actually survived the initial impact, but wasn't able to get out. Officially, he got hypothermia, but he was being dragged down with the car. If he didn't die of hypothermia first, he would've drowned. And the reason why it hurt so much was because I only told Spencer," she trailed off. It was clear the memories were coming back to her, very uneasily.

Caleb put his hand on her arm, trying to soothe her. "Only told Spencer what?"

A tear rolled down her eye, and Caleb's heart broke. "Spencer was the only one that I told we had just gotten engaged when he died. We were engaged not even a week when he got into the car accident. God, she knew that I blamed myself for months after it happened! And I don't even know why! I just…I thought it was all my fault," she admitted.

Caleb reached out and hugged Hanna. She clung to him tightly. After the few initial outbreaks of tears, she simply sought his comfort.

"And even though it's been almost three years, you're the first person I've come even remotely close to dating," she admitted. "I just needed to wait for…a special person that I could actually picture moving on with. I want a relationship, not a rebound."

"Hanna—"

Hanna cut him off with a kiss to the lips. He kissed her back, wanting to be a relationship, not a rebound. Somehow, he knew that he would be the former.

* * *

Emily knocked on the door to Toby's apartment. She thought he wouldn't answer, though she was sure that he was there. He had been there often nowadays.

"Toby!" she called, knocking again. After a moment, she simply gave up and went to look for Toby's hidden key, which was (predictably) hidden in a potted plant beside his door. She opened up his apartment. It was normally clean, tidy, and rather well-kept (unlike the male stereotype). Right now, it looked like a war zone, completely torn apart and fit the male stereotype perfectly; it may have been even worse.

Emily knew he was there, somewhere. She just didn't know where. "Toby! Where are you?" she asked impatiently, looking around.

She heard scribbling in one room. She opened up a spare room where he usually kept junk. It was actually pretty big when the junk was cleared out. Toby was facing away from her, drawing something. Emily saw that the walls had become plastered with paintings and drawings of flowers. She never knew Toby to be a painter, and was a little shocked when she saw such delicate and intricate drawings. They were pictures of pink and white hibiscus flowers, purple and white orchids, and then there were also abstract paintings using only different shades of the color red. He didn't even look up when Emily looked over his shoulder at what he was sketching now. It was a picture of Paris in the rain. Emily thought that it looked pretty amazing, considering Toby had no reference, except what Emily assumed was his own memory.

"Wow, these are amazing, Toby," Emily commented as she watched his broken sketching lines.

He put down the pencil, finally looking up at Emily. She saw that he looked disheveled. She hadn't seen him in a while—probably two or three weeks.

"Can I ask you something, Em?" he asked.

She nodded, waiting for what he had to say.

"Have you ever loved someone so much that it hurts you? And all that you can think about is them? You think that you might die of a broken heart?" he asked.

Emily looked down at the paper. "I'm guessing this means something to you when it comes to your relationship with Spencer," she concluded.

He didn't answer, but the look on his face said it all. "When I think about her, this is all I think about," he said. "Flowers and the color red and Paris. I can't think of anything bad. And my mind is just being consumed by it," he admitted.

"You need to talk to her," she insinuated.

He shook his head. "I can't. And I think she made it clear that day we came back from France that nothing would ever happen and that the kiss was a mistake," he informed her.

"Then make her change her mind!" she exclaimed.

"Spencer is a very tenacious person. I don't think I can get her to change her opinion on anything," he said sheepishly, looking down at his drawing again. It was the same exact view that the two of them had that night in the café. Most people's memories of one particular scene would have become obscure over a period of eight months, but Toby remembered it exactly. He remembered the exact way the moonlight hit the shimmering pavement, and the exact make and model of every single car on that street. He remembered the exact shade of the wall in the café, as it provided a frame for the scene outside. He remembered the names of the stores and restaurants across the street. He remembered the very faint Eiffel Tower in the horizon. On the picture, it was in the top left-hand corner, the lights beginning to shine. He remembered it all.

"I'm bringing you to talk to her," Emily announced.

"Emily, no," he answered, hanging up the photo next to some others on a clothesline with clothespins.

Emily walked into his direct path of vision so he couldn't avoid looking at her. "Toby, this will never get better until you confront her on it. It's probably not as bad as you think it is."

"And what if it's worse?" he inquired.

"How could it possibly worse?"

He shrugged. "She hates me?" he suggested.

She shook her head. "Toby, don't be ridiculous. She could never hate you. She probably isn't even mad. What reason would she have to be?"

He shrugged again. "I don't know…" he trailed off. "It's not a good idea."

"Sometimes coal is actually gold covered in a layer of soot. Come on. We're going," she said, dragging him out of the room, which Toby allowed reluctantly.

* * *

Aria washed a plate and put it on the drying rack before washing her hands. She looked over her shoulder. Spencer's door was slightly ajar. A moment later, as if Aria had summoned her telepathically, Spencer came out. She went through her bag, which was sitting on a chair. Aria couldn't figure that out, seeing as Spencer barely ever left the apartment. She took out a box of cigarettes and a lighter. Aria sighed. She was beginning to feel like Spencer's mother.

"I was going to ask you to watch Cassidy while I go to the store, but now I won't," she commented.

"I could watch her, Aria," Spencer insisted.

"No, you can't. I won't let you. You know my rule about smoking around Cassidy," she reminded Spencer.

Spencer sighed. She put the cigarette away and the lighter. She didn't like the taste, but it was like a release, for some reason. She felt in control for once.

"Thank you," Aria responded, seeing that Spencer put it all away. She grabbed for her jacket near the doorway.

Spencer nodded. "I probably shouldn't be smoking anyway," she muttered.

"No, you shouldn't," Aria agreed.

Spencer sighed, going into Cassidy's nursery. She picked the baby girl out of her crib and brought her into the living room. She rocked her gently, patting the little girl's back as she slept.

After a few minutes, Spencer heard the door knock. She sighed and got up to get it, Cassidy still in her arms.

She tried to suppress all her shock when she saw Toby standing in the doorway. "Spencer. I need to talk to you," he said.

She stared at him, her big brown eyes full of some undetectable emotion. It may have been fear, shock, anger, or all of the above.

* * *

_Yeah, um...I don't know why, but I was surprised at the reaction I got. I don't know why I was surprised, because in hindsight, I expected it, but whatever._

**_Addictedtospoby: _**_Well, she was...and now she's not._

**_sydneytravis4: _**_Good job! That was a foreshadow I was hoping would make sense in retrospect. Thank you for liking this chapter._

**_spoby equals awesomeness: _**_I hope this cleared up some stuff. _

**_cmtlshem15: _**_Yes and no. _

**_elenabee: _**_That 8-month time jump was quite a nailbiter, wasn't it? And thanks for respecting my opinion on the whole Forget Me Not thing. I think all of my readers had pretty much the same consensus as only one actually questioned it (and then took it back). And you will be able to breathe (eventually). _

**_Sleepinthekeegs: _**_The first of many!_

**_HopefulSpobyShipper: _**_I left you on a cliff. Please take my hand. The rescue squad is coming soon. _

**_tschea526: _**_I hope that the twist didn't leave you too confused and makes sense when you go back and read it. _

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_I hope you were surprised by Hanna's Secret! I thought about it, and I really think it ties into a storyline I've been thinking of for Hanna for a possible sequel (if I decide to make a sequel). And I'm sorry I may have broken your Spoby-shipping heart. But if you read my first fanfiction, you should've known what you were getting yourself into._

**_infinitydreamzz: _**_I'm sorry if I disappointed you with this twist on the twist. I tried my best to decide how I was going to deal with this, but I think it creates a bonding between Spencer and Toby later on (though I won't discuss how). _

**_Guest: _**_I promise, Spencer and Andrew are toast. You don't have to believe me, but it's true. _

**_spobettes: _**_Aw... :( I guess I will have to find some way to make it up to you. _

**_vondydora: _**_To be truthful, I never really thought of it, but that's exactly what finding out was to her: humiliating. You're really just insightful because you made me think of things I didn't even realize were on my mind. I guess, in a way, that's what she was doing. I was thinking something along the lines that she was hoping he'd say something (like, making a move) that would make her drop everything. And I'm kind of sad that you felt that way about the kiss, but I guess I suck at writing first kisses, because I know that the one in my first fanfiction was really awkward. And I think I answered your concerns by writing this chapter (on the time jump and stuff). sydneytravis4 hit the nail right on the head when she predicted that Hanna was asking the OB/GYN about Spencer being pregnant. The girl had her suspicions. And the review wasn't too bad (then again, I'm reading and typing this at 11:30 after a day with my balls-of-energy cousins, so I'm pretty tired). _

**_usgrlscanrock: _**_Here's the update!_

**_Elf889: _**_I hope you were satisfied with Hanna's Secret!_

**_mickeymack16: _**_I guess that's kind of terrible and I'm sorry for pissing you off. Well, you kind of got your wish. I'd say that I hope you're content with yourself in a really sarcastic way, but frankly, I do not have the energy for that now, so I'm just going to say that I hope you enjoyed this chapter more than the last one. _

_#HannasSecretFINALLY #PoorSpencer #TobyInLove (like a parody of Beyoncé's Crazy In Love) #CassidyDiLaurentis_

_Personally, I love Cassidy, and I think she's adorable, but I apologize if you hate the name and was not picturing that. Also, I hope that Hanna's secret wasn't way out there and it made you happy. Most importantly, I hope you're not too pissed from last chapter. I know I kind of toyed with your feels. Not kind of. A lot. But you probably should've been warned before beginning one of my stories. I never put this in the categories, but my stories also are unintentionally in the category of Angst. And if you ever read a fanfiction under the category angst, where I'm trying to be angsty (like the tenth time this story I've used that made up word), you should be very prepared for angst. _

_See you soon! __**-Kayson**_


	21. Chapter 20

_**Author's Note: **__I'd like to start off by saying that I reached 10,000 views and 200 reviews, which makes me really happy! You cannot even begin to imagine how grateful I am to have amazing readers like you guys._

_Onto other news, I'm glad you all seemed to enjoy Hanna's secret (it was pretty sad for me to even think about). Also, if this makes you excited, the only characters in this chapter are Spencer, Toby, and a little bit of Cassidy. _

* * *

**Chapter Twenty**

Spencer stood at the door, Cassidy sleeping soundly in her arms as she stared at Toby.

"It's been eight months," she began.

"I know. But when we talked at the airport, I got the impression that you never wanted to see me again," he told her.

She walked away from the door, but left it open, indicating that she wanted Toby to follow her. Toby did so, closing the door behind him, and watching Spencer intently. Spencer sat on the couch, while Toby sat across from her in a seat, staring her down.

"What made you think that I never wanted to see you again?" she asked quietly and in a childlike manner.

He shrugged. "When we got back, you said you regretted the kiss and wished it didn't happen. I just thought that it meant you didn't want anything to do with me."

Spencer looked down at the flooring underneath her feet, thinking. "That's not what I meant," she murmured. "It's the total opposite," she said extremely quietly, so Toby could only make out that she was mumbling.

"Can you just tell me now?" Toby asked desperately.

Spencer sighed, looking down. She didn't even want to face him. "There's a lot that I need to tell you, which I haven't said. To anyone, really. You're not the reason that I haven't been speaking to you…or to anyone really," she revealed.

"Can we talk about this? Over dinner?" he inquired hopefully.

She stared at him before nodding. "I would like that," she admitted, before looking down at Cassidy.

Toby was taken aback a little by how great Spencer looked with and cared for a child. He found it endearing and candid.

"Come back in an hour? Aria is going to be at the store, and when she comes back, I need to get ready," she said.

He nodded. He left, and realized he was really excited and anxious.

_Am I going on a date with Spencer Hastings?_

* * *

Toby arrived back at Aria's apartment. Aria answered this time, with Cassidy on her hip. She smiled when she saw Toby.

"I'm guessing that you're not here to see me," she said with a smile.

Before he could answer, Aria looked over her shoulder and shouted. "Spencer!"

Spencer emerged from her room a moment later looking absolutely stunning. She didn't have on anything extremely fancy—just a red skirt with an oversized, off-black cable-knit sweater and red flats—but Toby thought she couldn't have looked more beautiful. Her hair was styled in a loose fishtail braid on one side, and grabbed a plain black, fitted coat from the closet.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

He nodded. He was more ready than he ever had been.

"Don't do anything Hanna wouldn't do," Aria whispered to Spencer with a smile creeping on her face.

Normally, Spencer would've rolled her eyes and scoffed, but Spencer was in better spirits that day. She tried to conceal a smirk and said, "Whatever you say, Aria."

Spencer slipped on her coat and walked over to Toby, walking out of the door.

* * *

Spencer and Toby sat down for dinner at a restaurant. Spencer had been avoiding thinking about something for a lot of the night, but it was something she could no longer ignore.

"Toby, I need to tell you something, because if I don't, I'll regret it. I've already been hiding it for too long," she murmured, thinking about it in retrospect.

Toby stared at her, waiting for an explanation.

Spencer sighed, closing her eyes. "When you and Hanna and Aria and everyone else kept telling me that Andrew was cheating, I already knew. I had found the things already. A lot of them. But I couldn't face it. I wanted to believe it wasn't true since I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. Because there was something that I thought was holding me back, though I wasn't certain. But when I saw the woman in his room, I knew it had to be over. And that same night I found out for sure," she said vaguely.

"Found out what?" he asked nervously.

She bit her lip. "I was pregnant."

"Was?" he asked.

She closed her eyes, as if pressing back tears with her eyelids. "The baby—it was a boy—died. I gave birth to him and he didn't survive. He had SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome." She choked on those words, recalling finding him in his crib, lifeless. "It was Andrew's baby. And I thought I was pregnant, and I didn't want my child growing up without a father, but when I saw it for myself, I didn't care. I wanted him to have nothing to do with Andrew," she explained, her lip quivering, her eyes swelling with tears.

"Spencer, I'm so sorry," he said sympathetically.

She shook her head. "I'm not sorry for me. I'm sorry for Brandon. That was his name," she answered softly. "And I've been trying hard not to face it, and some days are good, but some days are terrible. I don't want to keep reliving the past. I want to move on."

She looked down at her hands. "But I don't know where to begin again," she informed him.

"Did you think that you couldn't tell me any of this?" he asked sadly.

She sighed. "I didn't think that. I just knew that if I told you…it would change a lot of things. I didn't want you to see me like that. I didn't want to be…_weak,_" she said, the word coated thickly with caustic acid, burning as it left her mouth.

"I know who you are. You don't have to fear that," he answered, shaking his head.

"I didn't want you to see me like that," she repeated, muttering. "I didn't know how to act after that kiss! I didn't know what to say to you. I felt like I was betraying someone by doing that because I was…" she began, trailing off in thought.

"If I knew, I wouldn't have done it," he insisted.

She shook her head. "I'm glad you did," she revealed quietly. "It made me put things in perspective," she said with a weak smile.

He saw right through it. "Spence, you don't have to put up the façade for me. I don't care about you crying. In fact, I like it. You don't have to be the epitome of perfection all the time," he said.

_Even though you really are. _

He sighed. "In fact, I find it one of your most beautiful manifestations," he disclosed.

She lit up, looking up at him. "You do?" she inquired innocently, a childlike glow illuminating her dark eyes.

He nodded. "When you were crying in the alley, I couldn't have asked for a better time to be around. You weren't trying to be someone you weren't. You were being a _real _person," he said.

* * *

A few conversations later, Spencer found herself smiling for the first time in what felt like forever.

"Have you spoken to Andrew?" Toby asked without thinking.

Spencer froze.

Toby shook his head. "I'm sorry, Spence. We don't have to talk about that if you don't want to," he apologized.

"I want to talk about that," she revealed. "I've been thinking about it a lot, and I've been wondering about what someone else would say, thinking about it," Spencer said. "And I want to tell you about it."

He nodded.

She sighed, continuing. "I met Andrew when we started college. He became one of my best friends." She gulped. "He was there for me when I was eighteen and…my boyfriend…he…raped me," she choked out, wincing as the reality of what she just said set in. She looked up and saw Toby looking sympathetic for her. She shook her head. "Before you feel sorry for me, you need to understand—we had been dating for a really long time and we never…I was—"

"So? Spencer, it doesn't matter. Wrong is wrong," Toby argued. "That's a lot to deal with. Especially having something as horrific as that being your first time."

She bowed her head, looking down at her thumbs. "Andrew said that to me when I told him. I was recovering for two years before we started dating." She sighed, looking crestfallen and on the verge of tears as she remembered. "He was the first person who made me feel good about myself. I felt like I was a doormat for my entire life, and he was the first person who made me feel like something more. Besides Aria and Hanna, of course," she amended. She continued, "And then, about three years into our relationship, probably about the time we got engaged, things started to change with him. He started treating me as if I were inferior. He started to make subtle digs at me. He was irritable more often than not. When he drank, he started to get verbally abusive and made me feel bad about myself. And then he hit me a couple of times. He told me, while he was drunk, that I was neglecting him. There's only a number of times a person can hear something before they start to believe that it's true. And I started believing it. I don't know why things started to change. I guess when I started to open my eyes when I became friends with Emily and Jason and Caleb…you," she said quietly.

He remained silent. "Were you falling out of love with him?"

She began drawing swirls in the condensation on her glass of water. "I kept telling myself that I wasn't. But I realized that last night in Paris that I didn't want to be there. I didn't even want to last the night. I didn't want to last the rest of my life. And I fled that night. I've been running for months, from everything…from reality. When is it going to be time for me to stop running and be still?" she asked sardonically.

She looked down, not gathering the courage to tell him this to his face. "That's what I liked so much about you. You knew how to be still while I just keep running," she admitted.

"I don't—"

"You're patient. You're willing to wait for everything, even if it takes a thousand years. People say that the nice guys don't get very far but…I have a feeling that you're going to find a girl who can love you just as much as your friends do. A girl who can be still and be tame for you."

_And that girl isn't me._

_But that girl can be you._

"I've never been a girl to just wait around. I'm watching all my friends grow and go places and I can't. I'm running in the past. Aria and Jason are happy being Cassidy's parents. Hanna and Caleb are in love. You're successful. I'm stuck. A runner like me is stuck. I can't be this way. But I don't know what to be anymore," she said.

"You don't have to be anything except for Spencer. You're amazing. And I know you'll find someone someday who can keep up with you," Toby added with a somewhat-forced smile.

Spencer bit her lip. "There's a reason that cheetahs don't run in packs. They can stay the night, but they can never last the long haul," she explained.

"Don't you believe in love?" he asked innocently.

She sighed. "Love is like a broken promise…all it ever does is breaks and burns and ends." She looked down. "And from this experience, that was one thing I learned."

He looked at her sadly. "Not everyone is like Andrew," he said meekly.

"All the good ones are taken or gay or too good to be true," she retorted. She sighed. "It's late and I'm tired, Toby. Can we please just call it a night?" she inquired.

He sighed but nodded.

* * *

"I'm sorry if I bored you tonight with my recollections and flashbacks. But it was nice having someone to talk to," Spencer said as Toby walked her to her and Aria's apartment.

Toby nodded. "I enjoyed hearing it. I was glad to finally have heard things from your point of view," he replied honestly.

She paused in the hallways, making Toby freeze, as well. She came up with an idea. "Do you want to see my new apartment?" she asked.

He nodded. She led him down the hall, to the very last apartment on that floor. She picked out a key off of her keychain and opened the door. She opened it and led him into a room filled with boxes and boxes, with some furniture, but a very minimal amount: a couch, TV, and Spencer knew that she would be moving the bed into her bedroom soon.

"It's nice. Not big, but not small, either. You're just one person," Toby said without thinking.

She nodded, not noticing how Toby hoped he could stick his foot in his mouth after that comment. She still picked up on his uneasiness, however, not offended or upset by the comment. "I believe that everything happens for a reason. You don't have to walk around the topic like you're tiptoeing on eggshells around me, Toby," she said.

"Right."

She looked around the apartment, taking it in herself.

"Do you actually have anything left in Aria's apartment?" Toby asked.

"I have some clothes left in the closet, a few pairs of shoes, and my bed. That's about it," she confessed.

He nodded. "So you're pretty much set."

"Yup. I think I'm moving everything else within the next few days," she announced. He nodded. She felt like he was challenging her. "It's a relief for me," she insisted.

"I believe you," he assured her.

* * *

Spencer locked the door of her new apartment as she and Toby walked back down the hall to Aria's.

She smiled as they got to the door. "Well, thanks for making a rough time a little less…rough," she said before opening her door and stepping inside.

"Anytime, Spencer," he choked out right after the door slammed shut.

He sighed as he realized just how deep he was in.

_What have I gotten myself into?_

_Love. That's love._

* * *

_Aww...aren't they adorable?_

**_Spoby101: _**_Aw, thank you! It feels like I've been updating every day. There are only seven more chapters+an epilogue (boo hoo), and I'm going to try and get all of the chapters up before I go on this cruise, so look for my updates! They will likely be very frequent!_

**_spoby equals awesomeness: _**_To be completely frank, I would've been madder at Spencer than I made Hanna. That was just a bad thing to say. Then again, the whole scenario kind of slipped Spencer's mind. But still. And Andrew is totally out of the picture in this story (he might reappear, should I decide to write a sequel). _

**_Addictedtospoby: _**_In this story, Toby isn't a painter as a profession, but he does paint on the side. I'm not going to lie, but I got some inspiration for Toby from my uncle. He's an architect (same profession as Toby in this AU), but he's actually a really good artist. Every year in mine and my cousins' birthday cards, he draws this original character called Max the Mouse. Toby isn't a cartoonist, but I figured he'd be pretty artistic. Your question isn't explicitly answered, so I'll clear it up. Jason and Aria are still seeing each other, but no huge commitments, as right now, their main priority is Cassidy. _

**_HopefulSpobyShipper: _**_I love that you loved vulnerable Toby. I just love him in that vulnerable place, and I think it's really beautiful. I loved him in the season 3 finale, and also in 1x13, when he cried in the alley. _

**_infinitydreamzz (all): _**_I'm glad you enjoyed the chapters and this twist I've added. And I love developing the characters. I feel as though they don't delve into the characters' backstories enough on the show, so I love making them up as I go. There's a lot that could be done with their characters, and I love it. Thank you so much for the feedback. And maybe you could get someone on the phone about that movie. You could tell Keegan Allen or Troian Bellisario or someone. I don't know. And I'm glad you like the different ships. I don't remember if I did this intentionally, but this story is mainly about Spencer beginning again with Toby. However, it's not just about her; it's about Hanna getting over her own loss and beginning again with Caleb, and it's about Aria starting a new life, too. The other characters were very important. Though Part III is Spoby-centric, Aria, Jason, Hanna, Caleb, and Emily are all important characters. _

**_beautifuldreamerr (all): _**_I totally understand. In fact, I'm on vacation right now, in OC visiting my uncle, but since these chapters were already written, I've had time to update. And you can totally send out thoughts for Spencer, because I've heard SIDS is a truly horrible way to have a child die. I'm sure it's probably second only to having to deliver a stillborn. Initially, that's what I had happen to Spencer, but then I changed it. Toby, in the meantime, can be her everything :)_

**_Onedirection2013: _**_You're my 200th review! Also, be prepared for more Spoby because it'll be coming up fairly soon. _

**_Guest (Cassidy): _**_It's funny because I actually wondered if anyone reading had the name Cassidy. Her name (and yours, for that matter), is sort of like my name. To be honest, I don't know why I picked it, but when I thought of Jason and Aria's baby, I just thought of that name. I always just pictured her as a cute little girl, and that's what I think that name is. _

**_iAmALittleLiar: _**_No offense, but that does sound a little cruel. Whatever. I've wished death on characters on PLL, too. _

**_elenabee: _**_Her character will change a little (I personally haven't found it completely evident after the initial shock wears off, but that's just me). She's a little more jaded, and wiser. And Cassidy is an adorable little baby girl :) We won't really get to see her grow up in Begin Again, though. She is still very much a little baby when the story is over. I really enjoyed writing the scene with Emily and Toby. I thought it was sweet. I think that when you love someone, you eventually can't get angry at them. That's exactly what Toby feels. White orchids and pink hibiscus flowers (the colors that I use the most) symbolize delicate beauty, which is how I picture Toby thinking of Spencer. And the color red is just how they are associated with each other (since it's the color of love). I'd be lying if I said that Spencer isn't at all envious of Aria having Cassidy, but she's not resentful or bitter about it. And she's definitely glad to have a little niece around. _

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_Brandon is Spencer and Andrew's late son. He died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome when he was a couple of weeks old (like two or three)._

**_Guest: _**_Thanks._

**_vondydora: _**_I definitely think that Spencer was sad, even though her child wasn't planned or expected. After all, it still was her son. I hope her reasons why she didn't confide in him were made clear in this chapter. I think she was just scared of coming off weak. And white orchid and pink hibiscus flowers (the ones I keep mentioning) symbolize delicate beauty, which is the same way Toby views Spencer, especially now. She's in a very fragile state of mind and he feels as though she can easily break._

**_iHarmonyGirl: _**_I'm glad you got it and it wasn't totally random, and thank you. _

**_usgrlscanrock: _**_Thank you! I was a little anxious when I wrote this chapter because I didn't want to just start talking and talking about how Spencer lost this baby, because then it seems a little too unbelievable. Loss like that isn't really blatantly there every second of every day. It's interwoven into your thoughts, and it's omnipresent (though often, it's in the background). I also kind of wanted people when they first read the chapter to be like, "Where's the baby? Where's the baby?" until they figured out where I was headed. _

**_Sunset13 (all): _**_I can't picture Rachel with anyone except Finn and it makes me sad thinking about it. I will probably write a one-shot (or a couple of one-shots) when Glee comes back on (since I want to see how they deal with Finn leaving) based on Taylor Swift's song "Sad Beautiful Tragic" (since the title is just fitting and perfect and...tragic). I don't think Brittany is really that smart and she's a little too ditzy for my liking. I think she's funny, but I personally don't feel like her character has enough depth for me to really enjoy her moments. Like, I feel Santana is multi-dimensional with her bitchy and tender moments, as is Quinn for the same reasons and Rachel is just...Rachel. I think my new tumblr name should be minimspezberry (since I feel like Santana and Rachel's child, and my tumblr name now is minimsrachelberry). Anyway, back to my story, I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter!_

**_mickeymack16: _**_What happened with Spencer and Hanna both sucked, and I feel bad for them, but I felt like it sort of needed to be done. _

**_Guest (Crazy Chick): _**_Oh my smurf, I loved your comment, and my tongue was smurf'd the entire day after I ate a blue raspberry Polish ice. Seriously, I had it at like noon and it's still stained blue right now at eleven at night. _

**_Sylviecake231: _**_You should really have more views, though! I love your story, and I think that it's beautiful and I will continue to support it (by the way, I loved the last chapter if I didn't review it). I really do love that story and Allie, and you're killing me with the suspense until we see Spencer and Toby! I want them to have another child, on one hand, but on the other, that would make me feel bad for Allie in case she feels like she was a second choice to them! I hope they have a damn good reason for leaving Allie for so long, because I really like her and I think her parents should be there so they could be a family! Anyway, my fangirling aside, I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. I wonder what STI Andrew should get. It should be something really nasty since the guy is a perv and a jerk. I don't mind Andrew on the show either, but the one I made is an ass. Sorry, show Andrew!_

_I'll update again at 230 reviews! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! __**-Kayson**_


	22. Chapter 21

**_Author's Note: _**_I'm very glad you guys liked the last chapter! You guys might hate me a little after this chapter. Wren is in this chapter, but I promise that he is probably going to be more help than harm to Spoby. How, I won't say, but please don't hate me and remember that I'm not a Wrencer shipper! Spoby all the way! Spoby is endgame, I promise you!_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Spencer sighed as she glanced at the calendar she had imposed when she first began to live with Aria. It was her turn to go to the grocery store. Normally she would've complained, but not only was that childish, but she wanted to go this time. It brought up feelings of nostalgia, with this being her last shopping trip for Aria's household.

She sighed again as she began to draft up a list, looking up and down the cabinets and in the bathroom for everything two girls and a little baby girl could ever need. She rummaged through the cat-shaped cookie jar, yet another thing she'd miss, for their grocery allowance. Spencer had perfectly planned it out—if they each put aside $50 a week, it would be about $400 a month, plus Jason had offered to help with some of Cassidy's necessities.

Spencer had gotten her first job since her split from Andrew. She saw it as one positive change in her life. She had finally gotten the opportunity to do what she wanted to. She was a professor at Hollis. She taught French II. She was quite happy, but ever since losing Brandon, she hadn't been back to work. She was off for personal reasons for a month, but ready to go back.

Spencer roamed down the aisles at the supermarket, looking for Aria's strange (and expensive) organic things. At the end of the day, Spencer believed it was the same as the regular kind, only more expensive, and it soothed the minds of health-conscious or environmental-conscious people, such as Aria.

She threw a box of whole-wheat pasta into the cart, glancing back down at the list, only looking up as she bumped into someone else's cart.

"I'm so sorry!" she apologized, though she wasn't really paying attention to the person. In fact, Spencer wasn't even really sure what she was doing.

The person laughed at her obvious distress and Spencer felt a little insulted. She looked up. It was a man with brown hair, brown eyes, and a dazzling white smile. "Don't worry about it. I don't care much for mayonnaise anyway," he said with a foreign accent, pointing towards a small display which Spencer had knocked over. She hadn't even noticed.

She felt color rising to her cheeks. "I'm such a klutz," she mumbled, beginning to pick up the jars.

The man helped her, stacking them back onto the display. "Did you know that clumsiness is alluring and helps someone appear to be cute?" he asked.

Spencer could barely register what he said. She was caught up in his eyes and accent and basically everything else. "Really?" she inquired absent-mindedly.

He nodded. "It was a study. The study of cute. Humans find clumsy people to be cute," he explained.

She nodded. "Well, then, I must be adorable," she joked.

He stared at her for a moment. "You're certainly easy on the eyes. I'm sorry if I'm coming off as a jerk, but you're very beautiful."

Spencer heard herself giggle (oh, how she hated that word) as she turned away and blushed. "You're not so bad yourself," she flirted back.

"Will I see you again?" he said, at a loss for something to say.

She shrugged. "But you might be able to see me soon if you had my number," she informed him. Spencer pulled out a piece of paper from the pocket of her coat, along with a pen. She wrote her name and cell phone number on it. "Whoops. I think I just dropped my phone number. You'll have to forgive my klutziness," she said as she tossed the piece of paper on the floor. As he picked it up, Spencer walked away with a smug smile. She didn't even realize that she didn't even get his name.

* * *

"Hanna! I have such a good idea," Aria said teasingly.

On the other end of the line, Hanna could sense Aria's smirk. "You have an idea. You have the best ideas. Tell me now," she demanded.

"Cassidy is going to be with Jason tonight. You don't have any plans, do you?" she asked hopefully.

"Free as a bird."

"I don't know if anyone ever told you this, but you're hilarious when you're drunk, Hanna. You have no filter," Aria said to Hanna.

Hanna let out a suppressed laugh. "I'm pretty sure nobody has a filter when they're drunk," she responded.

"Exactly. And do you know who would be really interesting to see drunk?" Aria said with an excited smile.

Hanna's mouth formed a perfect O. "I think I have to call you back, Aria. I have another phone call I have to make. Now," she said. Before Aria even got the chance to respond, Hanna hung up. She began searching through her phone for the right contact.

"Hey, Toby. This is Hanna. Aria and I are going out tonight, We wanted to know if you wanted to go out with us. Call me back," she said before hanging up.

* * *

Spencer was cutting up fruit when her phone began to ring throughout her new, very empty apartment. She dove for it immediately, almost cutting her hand on the knife, but swiftly avoided it.

"Hello?" she answered.

"I just realized that you don't even know my name."

Spencer smiled. It was the man from the grocery store. She decided it would be fun to mess with him for a minute. "I don't know what you're talking about," she toyed.

"Spencer? We met at the grocery store," he answered.

"I'm kidding; I'm kidding. I remember who you are. I don't know anyone else who speaks with an English accent," she said with a laugh.

She heard a nervous laugh on the other end. "I promise I don't bite," she added, hoping to relax his nerves.

"I realized that you don't even know my name."

She let out a breath. "Well, I've been referring to you as 'That Handsome English Stranger' in my head. Was I close?" she flirted shamelessly.

"It's Wren," he said.

"Wren? I liked my name better," she retorted. She heard a relaxed laugh on the other end. "This might be really forward of me, but would you like to go out?" she asked. Through everything, Spencer had become very forward (not that it mattered; she wasn't doing much dating while she was pregnant).

That question obviously had Wren flustered. "What did you have in mind?" he inquired.

"There's this great sushi place right down the street from where I live. It's called Fushimi. Want to meet there at seven?" she asked hopefully.

"Sure," he answered.

She smiled before hanging up. She abandoned her task and proceeded to get ready, leaving her celery sticks feeling neglected.

* * *

"It's weird being away from Cassidy," Aria said quietly as she and Hanna waited at Hanna's favorite bar.

Hanna sighed and rolled her eyes. "Oh no. It's that stupid separation anxiety first-time mothers get when they first have their babies," she moaned.

"Hanna, can you blame me? Cassidy is really lovable, and…she's my little baby," she complained.

Hanna sighed. "We're here to get Toby drunk, okay? If I have to hear about Cassidy all night, Toby won't be the only one getting drunk," she said.

"Fine. I'll try and stop thinking about my little munchkin," she said bitterly. She turned to the bartender. "Can I have a shot of tequila? Make it extra strong," she instructed.

The bartender nodded. "No problem."

Aria threw it back with ease. Hanna waved down the same bartender. "Can I have a…what is it called…it's pretty and pink. Cosmo…Champagne Cosmo?" she asked.

"Cosmopolitan Champagne?" he offered with a laugh.

She nodded incessantly. "Yup, that's the one. I'll take one of those," she responded.

When he returned with her pretty pink drink, Hanna took a sip. "Where is Toby?" she asked.

Aria shrugged, looking around. "Maybe he got creeped out. He did call you back, right?" she asked.

Hanna nodded. "He said he would be here," she insisted. She looked around. She finally spotted Toby. She waved him over. "Toby! Come join the party!" she offered, patting the stool right next to her.

"Hey Hanna, Aria," he greeted politely.

Hanna reached out to hug him. She waved the bartender down again. "Can you get my friend a beer? And me one, too?" she ordered. She barely took a drop of her cocktail, but she didn't want Toby to feel left out.

"So, Toby. Have you spoken to Spencer?" Hanna asked when the bartender came back. She was unaware of their date-by-another-name.

Aria watched as Toby struggled to answer. "He and Spencer went on a non-date the other day. Right Toby?" she asked.

He nodded. And then he regretted it. Hanna liked making him blush. "So did you tell her what you've been obsessing about that kiss?" she asked.

Toby gave Hanna an unhappy look. "I haven't been obsessing about it…" he said defensively.

Hanna gave him a knowing look. "I think you have," she sing-songed.

"Toby, just do us all a favor and admit that you love Spencer. We already know it. The only one who doesn't is Spencer because as smart as she is, she's probably one of the most naïve people I have ever met," Aria said with a small slur.

He sighed. He had already admitted it to himself, and indirectly to Emily. He had probably said it to either Caleb or Jason while drunk. What were two people, more or less? "Fine. I love Spencer. And not as a friend," he admitted.

Hanna beamed. Aria called the bartender back. "Hey, can we have a round of tequila shots, as per my friend being in love?" she asked as she reached past Hanna and touched Toby's hand.

* * *

"So this is my apartment. I just moved here, so don't get totally freaked out by the boxes. I have yet to unpack them," she told Wren as they walked into her new apartment. There were a couple of boxes around the place, but before their date, Spencer had managed to empty a couple of them and make the place look homier.

He nodded. "It's a lovely apartment," he commented.

"Thanks," she said. She was a bit tipsy, but still able to form somewhat coherent sentences.

Wren, who was pretty much completely sober, steadied Spencer as she wobbled. "Maybe we could have some coffee," he suggested.

She nodded. "And then we can see what else happens," she said suggestively.

* * *

"Okay, Toby. You take her upper half and I'll grab onto her legs," Hanna suggested. Once again, Aria's tiny stature allowed her to get wasted rather quickly. She was passed-out drunk at the moment. Hanna was just glad Cassidy was with Jason.

Hanna pushed open the door, groaning as she led Aria into the apartment, with Toby close behind. They brought Aria to the bed, placing her down very gently. Aria quickly curled up and began hugging a pillow. She began to snore very quietly, and in a pretty cute way.

"I, for one, think she is adorable when she's asleep," Hanna commented.

"I don't know, Hanna. I've never really watched someone sleep," Toby answered.

Hanna smiled as she smoothed out some of Aria's hair. "Well, I have and I can say that she is very cute," she said, her voice going up an octave.

"You'll be a good mom someday, too, Hanna," Toby commented.

Hanna smiled. "Thanks, Cavanaugh. You'll be a good dad," she replied with a nudge on the arm.

"If I ever become a dad," he said, and Hanna could hear the hope slipping from his words. "I have a feeling I'll always be Uncle Toby; never anything more."

Hanna frowned. "You will find a girl one day who appreciates you as much as your friends do. And when you do, I can say I told you so," she informed him with a smile.

He rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "I think Aria should probably be left alone."

Hanna looked over her shoulder at Aria. "Trust me, someone needs to soothe her headache when she wakes up tomorrow morning with a bitch of a hangover. Someone needs to calm her down before Cassidy and Jason get back," Hanna informed him. "Besides, I get free cable here. I've mastered the art of mooching by now," she joked.

"I think I'd better call it a night. Bye, Hanna. And when Aria wakes up, tell her I said bye, too," he told her.

"Bye Toby!" she called as he shut the door behind him.

* * *

"I'm sober now," Spencer said as she put the cup of coffee into the sink.

Wren looked her over. "Some part of me doesn't want to take your word for it," he informed her.

She didn't really pay attention, however. She took the cup from his grasp, pouring it down the drain. Before he could register what was going on, Spencer led him to her bedroom. She really wasn't sure what she wanted at this point. She wanted some form of human connection.

"Spencer…what are you doing?" Wren asked. Of course, he realized what she was trying to do. He just didn't feel comfortable doing those things.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I thought this date was going well. Really well, even. Isn't this how all the really good dates end?" she asked provocatively.

"Spencer, I really don't want to take advantage—"

"It's not taking advantage if I'm not drunk and I'm offering," Spencer whispered quietly. Without any warning, she kissed him harshly on the lips, as if she demanded something.

She stared at him, pulling back. "It doesn't have to mean anything," she promised.

"I want it to mean something," he confessed.

Though she wanted to, Spencer didn't believe him. Her faith in men had been dashed after all the disappointment she had dealt with because of them.

"Then it will," she assured him. "I promise."

He finally leaned into their kisses. Spencer leaned back onto the bed. When she pulled away, she swore that she saw Toby's eyes instead of his. She closed her eyes, trying not to think of that.

"Are we safe?" he asked awkwardly. Again, Spencer heard Toby's voice instead.

Not opening her eyes, she nodded, adding, "I'm on the pill."

She scooted back onto the bed, getting lost in the mirage, pretending that Wren was Toby instead. Her heart ached a little, and Spencer attempted to convince herself that she was still drunk, though she knew she wasn't.

* * *

_#TeamTarianna #SpencerIsConfused #DrunkSpencer #TobyLovesSpencer_

_Yeah, so I hope you don't hate me too much after this chapter. Please don't curse me out or anything. _

**_Addictedtospoby: _**_Spencer is totally over Andrew, and I'm glad you got a little bit emotional by me talking about Brandon. Well, the narrator talking about Brandon. I guess the narrator is me...but not Tiffany. I don't know. Now I'm confused. Anywhoozies, I do not have specific updating days. I just update when I feel like it and when I have wifi ('cause unfortunately, my mother's house does not have the internet). _

**_spoby equals awesomeness: _**_Spoby is the cutest thing since newborn puppies, baby bunnies, and Bubbles Utonium. I will ship Spoby 'till I die. _

**_spobettes: _**_Lol! I love you! I can tell that the two of us would probably be friends in real life. Thanks! _

**_Onedirection2013: _**_K._

**_Spoby101: _**_You must be getting pretty sick of that song. I update like every day. Love you, too, Sweetheart! And my source of happiness is froyo and chocolate cheesecake. Got any other sources of happiness? (BTW, it means a lot to me!)_

**_psychfan101: _**_Thank you so much! For now, no, we are not going to revisit Hanna's past. Most of the rest of the story is Spencer and Toby (especially after Chapter 25 or something like that). There's fluffy and then there's angsty Spoby (I can't even begin with this word... tells me that it is, and my computer and phone tell me that it's not. Color me confuzzled). _

**_Samsterhamster118: _**_I'm glad you liked the story. I wanted to build up suspense with Hanna's secret and make it more believable since the trust in Caleb needed to be built (and I decided it would be in eight months). _

**_elenabee: _**_Well, yes, but those changes dissipate quickly once Spencer befriends Toby again (it's shown a little better in the next few chapters). Spencer and Toby are so cute, but I get how this would be really sad for you to watch. It's like two people meant to be not realizing they're perfect for each other. Actually...that's exactly what it is. Spencer is much more discreet about her feelings. I think that Spencer is very oblivious to his feelings and is reluctant to admit that she could really be worthy of someone like Toby, so she rides it off as he doesn't love her back. And orchids reappear soonish. _

**_ALO.24.8: _**_I agree. Poor Spencer :(_

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_I feel very bad for Spencer and for Brandon now. And I think that Toby would be cute doing anything. He's just so sweet and cute like a little golden retriever puppy or something, he's so loyal. I love him so much. And you're welcome. _

**_iAmALittleLiar: _**_Thank you. I feel pretty bad for Spencer, because it must hurt. I didn't want her to have a miscarriage, because I thought it would be a lot more painful if she actually had the baby. Also, it kind of went with the whole eight months thing in the song. _

**_vondydora: _**_I think Spencer is too tired to be spiteful or rude or sarcastic. And there had to be a reason for her to fall into Andrew's arms. See, he wasn't always a jerk. It also kind of explains Spencer's distrust in love. I guess now, as she's thinking it all over, she thinks that all men are the same. I thought that finding your child dead of something like SIDS would be a really tragic loss, so that's what I used. I was watching a movie and this one woman had a son who died of SIDS, so I figured that would be very traumatic. I don't think Toby really expected it to be a date. He was just hopeful, and after hearing her story, he definitely wasn't expecting anything of her. And wait for it, wait for it. _

**_Sylviecake231: _**_I definitely think that your story deserves more followers and favorites and stuff. Mine is fine. But yours is really good, too. And Oh my goodness, I am so excited for next chapter already! I hope Spencer and Toby reappear soon (I think you gave us an estimate, but I forgot when you said you think they'd show up again). And thank you, my love! Cassidy is a cutiepie, and Spoby will bond. _

**_Guest (Crazy Chick): _**_Um...I don't know why they kissed, but it might just happen sometime in the near and/or distant future. _

**_Guest (Lis): _**_Thank you! And you're from Sweden? My best friend, Michelle, is half Swedish! That's cool! I can't believe some of the countries my fanfiction has reached! It's so cool!_

**_Guest: _**_You're welcome, but I should really be the one thanking you. Without your support, I would be nowhere, and I likely wouldn't have even finished this story, or some close to it. _

**_Guest (Kendall): _**_There will definitely be an epilogue. I'm not sure yet about a sequel. I'd like to do one, but that's only if people are actually willing to read it. _

_So, try not to hate on me too much!_

_Maybe this'll help you hate me a little less?_

Spencer woke up with arms wrapped around her. Before she got the chance to see who was beside her, she felt lips, soft as a feather, press against hers. She opened her eyes when they pulled away and saw oceans of blue in front of her.

"Good morning, beautiful," Toby whispered to her.

Spencer smiled at the sound of his voice. She leaned in to kiss him once more, her lips lingering there for a moment. "You have no idea how long I waited for last night to happen," she murmured into his neck.

"Last night should've happened a really long time ago," he responded, tugging at her waist, bringing her closer and kissing her twice more.

She nodded, climbing on top of him. "Do you think last night can tide over into this morning? I just feel like I've waited entirely too long for you," she said before wrapping her arms around her neck and kissing him.

"Now we don't have to wait," he answered.

"Can you stay here with me?"

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

Spencer leaned her head into his chest. "I love you. Last night was amazing," she mumbled into his skin. Tempted by the taste and the feel, she began to peck at his chest, her hands traveling lower and lower and lower and her lips continuously working at his neck…

_I might have given you a reason to be more pissed off than you already are. Whatever. I'm such a tease. Spencer is really confused next chapter, and it's not from her being hungover or anything. Maybe just lovesick :P_

_At 245 reviews, I'll update! And then, Begin Again will officially be my most popular fanfiction! __**-Kayson**_


	23. Chapter 22

**_Author's Note: _**_I can't believe that my story has gotten 253 reviews! I'm just going to go run around the block screaming "woo-hoo" right now. I'm so excited!_

_On with the story! _

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Toby entered Aria's apartment with bagels and coffee. Aria was groaning in her bedroom.

"Aria, you didn't get me that trough of water and a horse-sized aspirin when I was hungover, so you shouldn't expect the same from me," Hanna said sharply in the other room. Aria groaned in response. Toby put down everything.

He walked towards Aria's room and noticed Jason and Cassidy in Cassidy's nursery. He walked in to join him.

"Did you just get here?" Toby asked.

"Yeah. Why? Did you?" Jason asked in response as he put Cassidy into her crib.

"Hanna called me like twenty minutes ago, asking to get some bagels and coffee for when Aria woke up, and she didn't mention you," Toby explained.

Jason nodded. "I just came here like ten minutes ago with Cassidy. She was still sleeping. I just hope that they don't wake her up," he said while he stared at Cassidy, sleeping soundly with a smile on her round face.

Jason and Toby both exited the room, finding Aria wallowing in self-pity on the couch now, Hanna trying to help her.

"Goddamnit! Why won't the pain go away?" she lamented loudly, burying her head in the pillows on the couch.

"Can someone get a case of water, like, now? Maybe it'll sober her up," Hanna suggested.

* * *

Spencer woke up with arms wrapped around her. Before she got the chance to see who was beside her, she felt lips, soft as a feather, press against hers. She opened her eyes when they pulled away and saw oceans of blue in front of her.

"Good morning, beautiful," Toby whispered to her.

Spencer smiled at the sound of his voice. She leaned in to kiss him once more, her lips lingering there for a moment. "You have no idea how long I waited for last night to happen," she murmured into his neck.

"Last night should've happened a really long time ago," he responded, tugging at her waist, bringing her closer and kissing her twice more.

She nodded, climbing on top of him. "Do you think last night can tide over into this morning? I just feel like I've waited entirely too long for you," she said before wrapping her arms around her neck and kissing him.

"Now we don't have to wait," he answered.

"Can you stay here with me?"

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

Spencer leaned her head into his chest. "I love you. Last night was amazing," she mumbled into his skin. Tempted by the taste and the feel, she began to peck at his chest, her hands traveling lower and lower and lower and her lips continuously working at his neck…

* * *

Spencer woke up from her dream to find herself sweating and alone in her bed. Wren walked into her room, with a cup of coffee. She took it from him gladly, taking a sip and then putting it on her nightstand.

"Do you want to talk about what happened last night?" Wren asked her.

She shrugged.

"Would you like to agree that certain things never happened between us?" he inquired.

She sighed. "I don't know. I'm just confused," she admitted.

He stared at her for a moment, reading right through her. "There's someone else, isn't there?"

She stared at him before answering. "No. There's nobody else," she insisted.

He wasn't buying that. "Spencer, there is. You love someone else. Denying it isn't going to help the situation. You should do what your heart tells you to do. From the short time I've known you, I can tell that you're a sweet person that a guy would be lucky to know, much less love. You should at least tell him how you feel," he suggested.

She thought over his words. "What if he doesn't feel the same?" she inquired.

He shrugged. "Is your love for him worth the risk?"

She wanted to think it was. Before he got the chance to leave, she stopped him. "Hey, Wren?" she called out.

He stopped, waiting for more.

"Thanks. For everything. And just so you know, it's not you. And the sex was…fun," she said, trying to find the proper adjective, before realizing she had pictured someone else the entire time.

He flashed her a dazzling smile before leaving. Spencer fell back onto her bed, curling up and wondering what she was going to do about this whole debacle. Her phone rang and she answered when she saw it was Emily.

"Hey, Em. What are you up to?" she asked.

Emily sighed. "Not much. What about you?"

Spencer stared at the door, thinking about what had just happened. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she said.

"Try me."

Spencer sighed. "Well, for starters, I think I just had my first one night stand, ever."

Emily's shoulders dropped, her face following. "What?" she asked, not even attempting to keep the disappointment out of her voice. This was not how Spencer and Toby were going to end up together.

"The guy was nice. His name was Wren. But he gave me some really good advice. He told me that I should follow my heart," she explained, conveniently leaving out her dreams and mirages about Toby.

"I don't know the guy but I love him already," Emily announced. Hopefully, Spencer would follow that advice.

Spencer lay back down on the bed. "I think I just want some time to think about myself," she said.

_Ugh, she's making this very difficult._

* * *

Emily opened the door to Toby. He walked in, seemingly very happy.

"Emily, I have really great news," he announced, a smile spreading across his face.

Emily nodded nervously. "You can say what you have to say first." _Because I'm pretty sure that after what I say, no news is good news._

"I just admitted that I love Spencer," he said.

Emily smiled. "Yes! You finally did it! Toby, I'm so happy!" she exclaimed, jumping up to hug Toby. It was as if Toby just announced he was getting married or something.

"So what did you want to say?" he asked.

Emily's face fell. "Well…this is kind of hard and I hope you don't get upset," she began.

"What could possibly be so bad?" Toby inquired.

"Spencer had someone over last night…I don't know what they did, but she said she wants time to herself. But maybe she's just waiting for you—"

"I should probably give her space, Em. She's probably still grieving," he said. The obvious shift in the mood had made both of them feel uncomfortable. Toby soon wanted to leave.

"Toby, you—"

"I'm fine, Em," he insisted, reading her mind. "She needs space. Maybe I should just start looking somewhere else. Maybe I need a fresh start," he said. "I never told this to anyone, but I was offered a job. It's in New York. Nobody needs me here; maybe in New York I can finally be completely happy," he announced.

"Toby, don't—"

"I've got to go. I'll talk to you soon."

* * *

"Toby…stop…stop! I really have to go to work," Spencer exclaimed as she tried desperately to get out of his strong grip.

He had her by the waist, where she wished she could stay. "Are you sure you have to go now?" he whispered suggestively.

"Yes. I'll be back early, though. Maybe we could finish what we started before," she teased while leaning close to him, her lips brushing against his and their noses just about touching.

He groaned. "You're killing me, Spencer Hastings," he moaned.

"Hmm…that's not what you were saying before. Or maybe you were. I don't remember you saying anything except for Spencer. And that was really loudly," she teased.

Spencer yelped as Toby pulled her off her feet and on top of him. "Toby!" she yelled.

"And that's what you were saying all last night," he teased.

Spencer rolled her eyes, but she was laughing. She leaned down to kiss him. As she tried to get up, Toby pulled her closely again. She would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy it. Toby did, too.

"I love you, but you seriously need to let me go, Toby," she reprimanded.

Toby sighed. He then realized something which made him smile like an idiot. "You said you loved me. I wanted to say that. I love you so, so, so much," he said before pecking her on the lips.

"I know you do. And I love you, too," Spencer said, the smile wide on her face. She kissed him back.

* * *

Her second great, cute, fluffy dream was interrupted by someone hitting her on the back. She groaned and looked up. She saw a blonde head in front of her face.

"Hanna! What are you doing here? I was dreaming!" she exclaimed before covering her head with a pillow.

Hanna snorted. "Of what? Getting steamy with McDreamy?" she inquired.

Spencer made a face. "No! Something else. Can you please go away?" she asked rather rudely.

"Nope," Hanna answered, looking at her nails and staying in place.

Spencer uncovered herself, sitting up abruptly. "What do you want?" she demanded.

"Just wanted to check in on my friend."

Spencer sighed, laying back down. "I kind of want to be left alone."

Hanna rolled her eyes, looking around the room. "Whatever, Spencer. But can I ask you one thing?" she asked hopefully.

"If you will allow me to sleep afterwards, sure," she said.

"Do you love Toby?" Hanna asked.

Spencer paused, thinking about it. "Why would you ask that?"

Hanna shrugged. "You just seem really different around him. Better, even."

"Thanks, Han," Spencer said with amicable sarcasm.

"You know what I mean. You care about him, and it's obvious he cares a lot, too. But is it love?" Hanna questioned.

Spencer shrugged. "I don't know. I feel like maybe…it could be. But he probably doesn't feel as much as I do," she said pessimistically.

Hanna rolled her eyes as she watched Spencer roll over and close her eyes. "If you two bulls don't open your eyes to see the love of your life is standing right in front of you," Hanna grumbled, "I will personally ram one of my stiletto heels up your stubborn a—"

"What was that, Hanna?" Spencer asked, not turning around.

"Nothing, Spence!" Hanna chirped, getting up and leaving.

Spencer sighed as she heard Hanna leave. She figured that with any luck, Toby would be back in her dream, where she could live out her teenage-girl fantasies. They scared her, but Spencer found herself not caring anymore.

* * *

_To be honest, I'm pretty surprised that you guys didn't dislike me more for the whole Wren thing. And I'm sorry for being a tease. I know I am. Boo hoo._

**_Spoby101: _**_I'm sorry for being a tease. And I do have a twitter. It's something like kayson_casa7, or something like that, but I don't remember. I never use it, anyway. I don't even remember my password (I can't be sure...there are like 3 different passwords I use for everything). I have a Tumblr and I have an Ask that I don't use anymore because of some internet-beasts in my grade (who think they're so cool because they have the guts to pick on a tiny girl like me...smh). Lol. You can always PM me, if you want!_

**_MrsKeeganAllen: _**_I hope you liked it! And I loved both of your stories (even the one you discontinued because you said people didn't seem to like it. I loved it, but it seems like you're kind of incorporating that plot into your new one, except Wren and Spencer aren't together). But you totally left me on a cliffhanger! I need to know what happens when Spencer tells Toby she's engaged! I'll stop ranting now. _

**_kalp1999: _**_I don't know exactly what you mean by that question, but I think you're trying to ask who knew about her pregnancy. Aria knew, as did Hanna, Jason, and I think Caleb. Her family knew. That's about it. Andrew didn't know, nor did Emily. In my mind, Brandon was born like a month early, which meant Emily last saw Spencer when she was like 6 months pregnant. And since Spencer is normally pretty tiny, she didn't get extremely big during her pregnancy. She probably gained only about 20 pounds and didn't even show that much when she was almost full term. She had a belly, but not huge. I think you catch my drift. _

**_spoby equals awesomeness: _**_Yeah, Spencer's not getting pregnant again, so that squashes that theory. _

**_ : _**_First off, sorry I had to butcher your username, but it gets deleted because of stupid spam. Secondly, why does everyone think that I'm going to just be like "Ha ha ha, you just got f***ed over, I'm actually a Wrencer shipper and now Toby's heart is broken"? This is a Spoby story, no? 'Cause if it's said Spencer H. and Wren K., I obviously need new glasses and I apologize to the Wrencer shippers who might have been reading this wit hope._

**_psychfan101: _**_My friend Santara and I use that word a lot. And that snippet was a dream. Hopefully a reality soon ;) And you won't see Tiffany (or meet her fiancé, Shane) until the epilogue. For now, we're not going to see them._

**_bluebird10023: _**_I'm not going to address this again. But I hope you liked the chapter!_

**_dreamsister: _**_I'm glad you love it!_

**_Spobyluver39: _**_Thank you, love! I know that there hasn't been much Spoby, but hopefully next week, there will be. I'm sad because there have only been like two cute moments between them this season. As much as I love them sleuthing together, I miss fluffy Spoby, and hope that we get some soon. They're too adorable together. _

**_Addictedtospoby: _**_I'm glad you liked Wren's addition to this story. I don't like him that much (I mean, he's cute, but not someone I like to see) and I think he's a perv who's got a weird thing for teenage girls (especially after seeing him all creepy watching Caleb and Hanna kissing in the promo for next week...creepy). I hate that the writers made him like Hanna, too, because he was kind of normal before but now he's like...I don't know, but it's creepy hitting on girls who are in high school when you're already out of med school (and that takes a long time). And we'll be seeing Tiffany again. I'm glad that everyone likes her. In some weird way, I feel loved. _

**_Onedirection2013: _**_A lot of stuff, my friend. A lot of messed up stuff._

**_mickeymack16: _**_I dislike writing just a bunch of fluff. There needs to be actual conflict or I feel like it's just a bunch of one-shots with very little plotline. And I know my stuff is real_ish_ :P I mean, the stuff that the characters deal with and how they're brought together is pretty weird, but for the most part, I think it's kind of realistic._

**_dreamcatch3r: _**_Well, thank you, and I'm glad that you're continuing to read and enjoy this story. Toby will find out and how he copes is another story. Everything happens for a reason and I hope you realize that Wren is a good guy in this story because he helps Spencer see things for what they are (and he's totally a big help on the road to her admitting that she loves him!) so...yeah. _

**_elenabee: _**_Spoby is incredimazinggggggg. That's all I have to say. So I tried to establish that Wren was really more of a one-time thing (despite his better wishes). And hmm...I wonder how Toby would've handled that situation. Interesting._

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_Aww, I'm sorry. _

**_Sylviecake231: _**_I am so excited! And ugh, I hated Wren when he tried to get with Spencer not once, but TWICE after she broke up with Toby. He's like the other guy. As a general note, I don't like Wren but I really don't like Ezra. There's just something about him...hmm, I seem to hate the guys everyone seems to love. Oh, well. _

**_infintydreamzz: _**_Well, someone who you love should bring out the best in you, not the worst (i.e, Toby, not Andrew). And thanks for trusting me with this story! And that would be very sweet. You really don't have to spread the word, but I'd be grateful if you did. Thank you so much. _

**_iAmALittleLiar: _**_I read this thing by a Spoby fan online once. I don't remember exactly what it said, but they said that Spoby is true love because while Spencer flirts and kind of uses guys to get information and what she wants, she's never done it to Toby. So while she may use Wren for sex, she's not going to use Toby. She's going to love him. _

**_vondydora: _**_No, I don't hate you, nor do I hate Wrencer shippers (though I'm less than pleased with the guy and the ship), and I hope I made it a little clearer on how he'd help the two of them. I don't know. Really drunk usually equals no filter, so I guess that was where they were coming from. Hopefully, he would spill his guts about his feelings for Spence (though, hopefully not actually spilling his guts). _

**_usgrlscanrock: _**_I think a lot of times I use the line "I'm apologizing in advance for this chapter because I think you'll hate it" (totally paraphrasing there) as like a little disclaimer, since I hate hyping stuff up so it falls short. Like, maybe it's not really that good, but if I say it's bad and it's mediocre, you'll think it's good. Some twisted psychology, but that's my brain for you. _

_So, I think at 270 reviews, I'll update again._

_Next chapter, someone spills the beans to Toby, Spencer tries to contact Toby, some Team Caleb-Hanna-Toby, you might get pissed at Emily, more baby Cassidy, Taleb moments, and some non-sibling Spason bonding. And that's about it. Whoops, I spoiled the entire chapter. Not really. I'm going to shut up now. __**-Kayson**_


	24. Chapter 23

_**Author's Note: **__I'm super-duper pissed because I was working on this chapter and halfway through responding to reviews (which takes forever to do) and my computer decides that I'm not going to do this and just goes back to my last page or whatever. I don't know. All I know is I'm pissed._

_To try and make me feel better, you should go to Google and look up "Pretty little liars toby being a pimp" and see what comes up. He's only missing Aria, and then, I think he will have successfully pimped out all three girls. Lol. _

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

_Do it, Spencer. You can finally do it. Just call him. Invite him over._

Spencer stared at her cellphone, contemplated doing what she had wanted to do for so long. She touched the phone, finally picking it up.

_But what if he doesn't feel the same way?_

She put it back down, walking away. She tapped her finger on her arm, crossing them.

_Spencer, he followed you to Paris. He's been waiting for you this entire time. Maybe he actually does feel the same way about you that you do about him. _

Spencer sighed, deciding what she would do. She picked up the phone, calling him.

"Hey, Toby. It's Spencer. I just wanted to meet up with you again. I have something that I really wanted to tell you, and I wanted you to hear it from me," Spencer said. Afterwards, she hung up.

There was no turning back now. What was done was done.

* * *

Hanna stabbed the mound of ice cream in the dish with her spoon, only to put it back down. Caleb observed her while Toby was lost in his own train of angry thought.

"I can't believe Spencer would do something like this to you," Hanna said finally and angrily.

Toby shrugged. To be honest, he wasn't entirely sure why he was so mad. As he was thinking about it, his reasons weren't justified; they weren't dating or emotionally attached together in anyway. Why should he be so mad?

"I was starting to think that…" Hanna began, before trailing off and abandoning her sentence.

Caleb didn't seem to pick up on this. "Think what?" he asked.

Hanna shook her head. "Never mind. I just can't believe it. Spencer never seemed like the one-night stand kind of person. Well, neither did Aria, and look at what happened."

Toby's phone rang again. As bad as he felt, he let it ring. Spencer was calling. Again. Hanna sighed before she reached out, grabbed it, and rejected her call.

"The nerve of that girl..." she grumbled. She stabbed the melting ice cream again, but finding that her appetite was virtually non-existent. "You've been waiting around for her this whole time, while it's been breaking your heart. And now, right after she puts the nail in your coffin, she decides that she wants to talk to you…"

Caleb raised an eyebrow. "What do you know that we don't?"

Hanna opened her mouth, but no words came out; only small noises were ejected from her throat. She put a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth to keep herself from saying something stupid.

"Hanna…?" Toby asked.

Hanna sighed, putting everything down. "Alright, fine! Spencer had…an a-ha moment, of sorts, the last time I saw her, which was yesterday. She finally opened her eyes and saw that you are a good person who wants nothing more than to sweep her off her feet. And don't even try to deny it," she warned.

Toby shrugged, not really in the mood for denying again.

"Anyway, she said she was scared that you didn't feel the same. I tried to tell her that it was a stupid thought, but she didn't believe me, and wanted me to leave. I don't know why; all she was doing was sleeping."

Toby sighed. Both of them were just so stubborn. He considered it a bad flaw in his character, but would never admit it to other people. He was starting to feel stupid about the entire situation. After hearing what Hanna had said, even he couldn't deny their mutual attraction. Spencer had said it herself. He wanted to make up with her and for them to admit their lingering feelings for each other. That was what he wanted, more than anything else.

But he, like Spencer, was scared. Scared, more than anything, of breaking her heart. His own feelings and safety of his heart came second to hers.

He sighed. He feared, as well, the prospect of neither of them getting out of this situation with a whole heart.

* * *

"I don't get it. Why isn't he answering?" Spencer asked as she pressed the END button on another one-sided phone call.

Aria sighed as she patted Cassidy. "Maybe he's been doing something all day. He might be busy," she suggested.

Spencer shrugged. "I don't know why I'm getting so bent out of shape on this. I'll see him soon, either way." She put it off to the side, smiling at Cassidy. "She's so adorable."

Aria beamed with pride. "Is it weird that I went to the supermarket the other day and a man, I guess a priest or someone, came up and started praying on her, or something like that?" she asked.

Spencer raised an eyebrow. "Did that really happen?"

Aria nodded in response.

"Well, then everyone thinks Cassidy is as cute as I do. That's some kind of prayer so she doesn't get the evil eye and isn't the subject of envy. They have something similar in Judaism, with a red ribbon, but I don't remember the name," Spencer said as she admired Cassidy.

Aria seemed impressed. "You seem to remember a lot from your World Cultures classes," she stated.

Spencer shrugged. "So how have things been with you and Jason?" she asked.

Aria shrugged. "Like two months before she was born and ever since she has been born, nothing, really. We didn't break anything off, but we haven't seen much of each other not involving her since then," she informed Spencer.

"I could babysit her one night for you guys to go out, if you want," Spencer offered.

Aria shook her head unremittingly. "No! Really, Spencer, I wouldn't want to impose. You probably have stuff to do—"

Spencer snorted. "Like what? Unpack the five boxes of stuff I kept only for nostalgic purposes that I've neglected to touch this past week or so?" she asked, her words dripping with sarcasm.

"Can you handle her?" Aria inquired cautiously.

"She's barely two feet long and sleeps eighteen hours a day. I think I can handle that," she insisted. "I want you to hang out with Jason, if that's what you want."

Aria gave her a smile and half a hug (as the other arm was busied by Cassidy at the moment). "I love you, Spence."

"Love you more."

* * *

Spencer walked into her apartment to see Hanna there, pacing back and forth. She was quite confused. And as for Hanna? Well, to put it simply, she looked pissed.

"What's wrong with you, Spencer?" she demanded.

Spencer put down her keys. "Well, that's an unconventional hello, but it's nice to see you, too."

Hanna rolled her eyes. Spencer was oblivious as to why Hanna looked so pissed off. "What's wrong?" Spencer asked with concern.

"Like you don't know." Spencer remained oblivious. "You slept with someone? While you knew that Toby is hopelessly devoted to you? Seriously, it's like he's the male version of Sandy in this scenario," Hanna said, her anger peeking out in her voice.

"He is not," Spencer said quietly.

"Spencer! Get your head out of your ass and realize that you denying any of this is not going to make the situation better!" Hanna exclaimed. "You really hurt him when you did that, you know that?"

Spencer sighed. "I get what you're saying, but…wait, how did he even find out?"

Hanna shrugged. "Emily told him, I think? I don't know. Something like that. But it doesn't matter how he found out. He wouldn't have found out unless she told him," she said.

"Why should it even matter to him?" Spencer questioned.

"Relationships are about people being honest with each other, Spence. How are you supposed to have any relationship, romantic or otherwise, if you won't tell him the truth?" Hanna asked wisely.

Spencer sighed, flopping down onto her bed. "I hate to say it, but you're right. I need to tell him everything. And I promise, Wren was a one-time thing. It means nothing now. I don't even have his phone number. I guess I didn't want the first person after Andrew to be a real relationship. I just wanted to get over him," she confessed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Aww!" Hanna exclaimed.

Spencer turned to her. "What?"

"I think it's so cute that you're subconsciously trying to make yourself better for Toby. But Toby loves you as you are, so you shouldn't feel obligated to do anything," Hanna said with a nudge.

Spencer hadn't read at all into that. "Have you considered becoming a psychologist, Han?" she asked.

Hanna cringed. "Ew, Spence. Have you seen how they dress? What makes you think I'd be caught dead in those clothes?" she asked with a scoff.

Spencer rolled her eyes. "You're still Hanna."

* * *

"I don't know what to do about this anymore," Toby said, burying his head in his hands.

Caleb watched his best friend. "You have to talk to Spencer about stuff. It's the only way you guys will move on, with or without each other."

Toby sighed. "I don't even know if I can talk to her. I already feel so broken down about it all, and I don't really want to face her. I feel…betrayed? I don't know. It's complicated. I shouldn't feel so emotional about this all, since she's not my girlfriend or anything, but—"

"You've got to stop being so nice. You have to take your own emotions into consideration for once," Caleb insisted. "You need to lay all your cards out on the table," he maintained.

"I know. But I'm such a coward."

"You also need to stop beating yourself up mentally. You're a good friend, would be a good boyfriend if you gave yourself the opportunity, and an overall good person. Now you just need to believe it," Caleb urged.

Toby gave him a broken smile. "Yeah, I do. Thanks, Caleb. I think I'd better call it a night, though," he said.

Caleb nodded, getting the hint and walking towards the door. Once he was gone, Toby sighed, leaning back onto his bed.

* * *

Spencer knocked on the door of the apartment. She saw a confused Jason answer the door. She invited herself in with a peace offering—coffee and bagels. She handed a brown paper bag to him and set down a coffee-tray with two cups in it.

"Can I ask you a huge favor, Jason?"

Jason grew a little bit scared for what this entailed. "What is it?" he asked nervously.

She put on her best smile and most innocent look. "Actually, I'm willing to barter. You get something that you really want, and I'll get something I've been hoping for in exchange," she told him with a devious, yet intoxicating smile.

He groaned, knowing that her request may cause trouble. "You're avoiding the topic. What is this?" he demanded.

"I will babysit Cassidy for the night while you and Aria go on a date. But I would like something in return," she supposed, teasing him even more by dragging this out.

"Spencer," he warned.

"Can I borrow your apartment and your phone? I need to talk to Toby, and he's not answering my calls. I just need to lure him here and talk to him," she informed him, breaking down her wall. At the moment, she resembled a fifteen year old girl asking her parents to extend her curfew so she could go to the party at Taylor's house (since it would _so _be the party of the century).

He nodded. "It's a deal," he said.

"Thank you so much," Spencer said.

"It's not much of a compromise. It's not like I want to see you unhappy. In fact, it's a win-win for me. We all want to see you both happy," Jason insisted.

Spencer rolled her eyes but hugged Jason anyway.

* * *

_My favorite part was #TeamTaleb. They're my brotp. _

**_Spoby101: _**_Am I the tease? I guess so. And a PM is a private message. If you go to my profile and look on the top left-hand corner, there's something that says PM and you can send it to me. It's kind of like an e-mail for fanfiction. It's next to my name in the mobile version (I use my phone for pretty much everything except PMing long messages and updating). And yes, people do not seem to like me at my school. Methinks they hate me. Oh, well. _

**_Onedirection2013: _**_Oh, he is definitely going to New York. Much like he went like two episodes ago. _

**_mickeymack16: _**_*in a cute Bubbles Utonium voice* Aww, shucks. _

**_Guest (EmilyAnne): _**_Hopefully both?_

**_Guest: _**_Wow! And we're very close ;)_

**_elenabee: _**_She looooves him. She wants to hoooold him. Hold him and looooove him. Loooove him and kissssss him. _

**_infinitydreamzz: _**_I guess I don't suck at writing fluff, though I almost never do it. And thank you about my future and including me in your bio. You really don't have to do that, but it's a very kind thought. _

**_Spobyforever259: _**_I don't think I wrote another dream...well, the confrontation happens next chapter, and Spencer does something about it. I can't say what happens. Teehee. _

**_Guest (Spobylove): _**_Thank you for reading my story!_

**_Guest: _**_You're very welcome._

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_Toby is allowed to move, and Wren will not cause anymore problems. I'm not going to say much about what happens with Toby, but he's definitely considering going to NYC (and my crib. Ha ha!)_

**_dreamcatch3r: _**_I love Spencer's dreams because they're steamy-ish and it's a substitute for Spoby (not as good as the real thing, but it's cute). _

**_CanadianAngel97: _**_What?_

**_Guest: _**_I'm glad you love it, because I love writing it. I'm about four pages away from finishing the entire thing. I'm so excited to share it with everyone. _

**_spobettes: _**_I'll try to piece your heart back together by writing a really cute/hot make-up scene between the two of them. And I love your avatar, btw. _

**_psychfan101: _**_Everyone seems to have loved these dreams! And just remember Spoby is endgame :)_

**_iAmALittleLiar: _**_I think they'll come to their senses soon...hopefully._

**_Guest (Crazy Chick): _**_Spencer loves Toby. I'm going to run around the block saying that now. My neighbors already know I'm a loudmouth and weird. _

**_Sunset13: _**_I totally agree with everything you said. And I loved writing the Aria and Hanna interaction two chapters ago. _

**_Sylviecake231: _**_As I've mentioned before, Rockria is more interesting than Ezria, and one of the members isn't even an animate object. That's how boring Ezria is to me. And when I looked on the PLL wikia, in the top couples poll, Spoby was #1, along with polls on Wetpaint and this one website made entirely for polls. I just decided with this story that Ezra didn't have to be in it, 'cause I didn't want him here. So what's wrong with this? Nothing. So I just put it in. I'd much rather write for Jason than Ezra. _

**_jperroso: _**_Rockria is one of my otps. _

_Sorry my reviews sucked, but I'm tired and this is the second time I'm writing them. Forgive me. It's almost midnight in OC. _

_So, I think with 190 reviews, I'll update. Sound like a deal? __**-Kayson**_


	25. Chapter 24

**_Author's Note: _**_I want mocha. Can somebody get me that? It would be much appreciated._

_I'm done being awkward now. Here's Chapter Twenty-Four._

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Spencer looked through the peephole once more, waiting anxiously for Toby to show up. Jason had gone to Aria's half an hour ago, and it was just Spencer now, waiting for Toby.

The sound of a dripping faucet reminded Spencer of how long five minutes could feel when you were waiting. She groaned as she looked at her watch.

Finally, there was a knock on the door. Spencer answered it, spotting Toby. Before he even got the chance to react, she had yanked him in the apartment, closing, chaining, and deadbolting the door behind him, preventing a hasty exit.

"My guess is Jason wasn't the one who wanted to talk," Toby said.

Spencer shook her head. "Jason and I made a deal that I could use his apartment and text you with his phone. I need to talk to you, Toby," she said.

He sighed, feeling uncomfortable, something Spencer picked up on.

"What?" she asked, growing impatient. "Look, Toby. Hanna clued me into why you're avoiding me," she informed him.

"Why?" Toby questioned, intrigued to hear her answer.

"Because of Wren. And I wanted you to know that I'm not mad if you're upset about it. It doesn't mean that I think your reason for being upset is justified, but I'm not mad," she said. She stared down at her feet, praying a blush wouldn't rise to her cheeks. "I actually think it's…cute that you're so concerned," she confessed quietly.

Toby avoided looking at Spencer. He wasn't entirely certain why, but he felt betrayed.

"I just wanted to let you know that Wren didn't mean anything to me. It was a one-night stand. I don't even have his phone number. I guess…I was just using him to get over Andrew. He was the first guy I was with at all since I broke up with Andrew," she said.

Toby nodded noncommittally. "It doesn't really make a difference to me," he mumbled.

_I was sort of hoping that it did._ "Oh," Spencer uttered softly. "Right."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Spencer. I'm not your keeper," he said quietly, as if he didn't want to say it at all. The whole thing felt really forced, on both ends.

Spencer looked at him, and he was avoiding her gaze at all costs. "I just wanted you to know…" she said, trailing off, all while praying that he wouldn't question why.

"Why?"

_Damn. _

"Why?" Spencer questioned, thinking it over herself. "I…I…"

She thought, trying to figure out what to say. Should she tell the truth and just get out with it? Should she embellish the truth, telling him that it was a mistake and she deeply regretted it? Should she tell a complete lie and just avoid the question altogether, changing the subject?

Or should she tell the whole truth? The one where she didn't hold back; the one where she hadn't stopped thinking about the kiss for months; the one where she had dreams and fantasies, all with him; the one where she hadn't wasted time neglecting him, and appreciated him before it was all too late.

She shrugged. "I just wanted to tell you the truth. Hanna seemed to think that it was bothering you," she answered dismissively.

"I don't know. I can't explain it. I guess I was…concerned?" he lied. Well, it was half a lie. Or half of telling the truth; he wasn't sure. He was concerned, but he also had more selfish reasons. Reasons he now was unsure whether he wanted to own up to.

Spencer looked completely resigned at the moment. "Well…thanks, I guess, for your concern," she murmured. There was an elephant in the room, both unsure whether the other realized it. Where was Hanna when you needed her?

"I think I should go," Toby said finally. "If that was all you wanted to talk about, I think I should go," he said.

She nodded. "You're right. Sorry if I made you feel awkward," she said, though her sentence sounded more obligatory than apologetic.

Spencer closed the door behind Toby and both leaned on either side of the door. They were both silently cursing themselves for not saying what they needed to; things that would change everything; things which would make it all better, for everyone, especially one another.

* * *

Emily pushed hard on the door to Toby's apartment to get in. It was more of a struggle than usual. When she opened the door, she saw why. There was a stack of boxes near the door. They were the kind that people used when they moved out.

This could not be good.

"Toby!" she exclaimed, suddenly growing very nervous. "Toby? Where are you?!" she shouted nervously.

She walked to Toby's room and saw him packing a bag. "What are you doing?" she asked, nervous to hear an answer.

"I'm going out of town for a few days," he answered with a sigh.

"And those boxes out there?" she inquired.

He shrugged. "Some essential boxes in case I decide I want to leave Rosewood for good," he said.

Emily's eyes became wide. "Toby, are you crazy? All because of Spencer?" she inquired with shock.

"Spencer has nothing to do with this."

_Lie, lie, lie. _

"She doesn't, Emily! I got a job offer out of town. I was asked to look at the land and see if it's something I want to consider. I have nothing solid in this town, and there, I might actually have more luck when it comes to getting work. It's a bigger city that's growing. Rosewood is crumbling," he retorted. He stared at her. "Why do you think everything has to do with Spencer?"

She scoffed. "It so obviously does, Toby. You're in love. It's not your fault. Love makes you do stupid things," she reminded him.

He shrugged. "I would agree…if I were in love. How could I let myself fall in love with someone who doesn't and wouldn't love me back?" he asked, his voice growing soft.

Her voice became light as a feather. "Because love makes us all do stupid things," she repeated.

"I'm going, Emily. I'll be back in a week or so. And then…I don't know. But I'm considering it," he said, referencing this potential move.

Emily looked at him sadly. "Just please…think with your head before you make a solid decision," she pleaded sweetly.

Toby looked at her, feeling a little saddened by her very manifestation. He nodded slowly, listening to her.

* * *

Spencer and Hanna were sitting in a diner, waiting for Emily. Spencer was examining the menu while Hanna stared at her. Spencer hadn't really spoken anything except for the traditional pleasantries, but rather began scrutinizing the menu. Hanna had been dying to ask how her confrontation with Toby went, but she decided it would probably be better to wait until Emily was there to act as a buffer.

Hanna was growing rather antsy. She decided to finally just ask her.

"So, Spence…how did it go?" she asked finally.

"The whole meeting thing with Toby?" Spencer inquired, not averting her eyes from the menu.

Hanna nodded, adding, "Yes." She paused. "Did you tell him everything?" she questioned.

"I told him that the night with Wren meant nothing, and the whole thing was just me trying to get over Wren," Spencer answered.

Hanna nodded, pursing her lips. "So you didn't tell him everything. You didn't mention that you love him."

Spencer opened her mouth to speak, but Emily walked up to them at that very moment. Both girls took notice of her somber, distressed expression as she slid down in the booth next to Hanna.

"Hey, Emily," Spencer said, the concern rising in her voice.

Hanna was a little more blatant about it. "Hey, what's wrong?" she asked immediately.

Emily sighed. "I don't know if I should say this…I don't want to upset you," she said, her brown eyes boring into Spencer.

Spencer became antsy as she felt her heartbeat quicken. "What is it, Emily?" she inquired apprehensively.

"It's Toby. He's left town. And I'm scared that he might not come back. He's really serious about leaving," Emily explained, not making eye contact with either of the girls, instead staring at the table.

Hanna looked to see Spencer's reaction. Her eyes were filled with concern, but she remained silent.

Finally, she spoke. "What?" she asked quietly, in a voice so childlike and innocent, it might've broken Hanna's heart.

"He's gone. He left this afternoon. I'm worried about him. There's something wrong…" Emily said, but Spencer tuned it out completely.

She only began to think of the things she said wrong; the missed opportunities she had to tell him how she really felt; the little things about him she would quickly miss; everything about him, really.

* * *

Spencer walked into her apartment. Since Wren stayed, she had unpacked everything, and it was finally starting to feel comfortable.

But now, things just felt different. Everything felt different. Spencer had started putting everything in perspective. Toby just made her think about herself in a different way. He opened her eyes to things that never even crossed her mind before, and she liked that. Now that he was gone…she tried so hard to make his presence stay, but found it impossible. She needed him, right then and there.

She let out an angry sigh. On a whim, she picked up something at random and threw it across the room, watching as it hit the wall and broke. Then, another object which held no particular value to her. She just felt angry for a reason she couldn't even explain. She needed to take her anger out on something, so whatever came in her way was fair game.

When she was done and there were glass shards, potpourri, and candle bits scattered around her, Spencer backed up against the wall, examining the damage she had done. It didn't seem to matter anymore. She slithered down the wall slowly and looked at what was left after the storm.

_You did this, Spencer. It's your fault he's gone._

Before she even realized it, Spencer let out a small sob.

_No…no. He left. It's obvious whatever was there isn't anymore. Maybe it didn't exist. The past is the past…you have to move onto your future._

Spencer realized what she needed was to let go of everything. She held on. Maybe that was her problem; she never knew when to move on and to let go. Maybe things could've been better for her a long time ago if she had moved on and let go of her memories and relationship with Andrew. Maybe then, she and Toby could've had a chance.

And her mind raced back to Toby.

_But what if he's my future?_

That was what had to happen, right? Toby just fought for her, over and over, even when she was being horrible. If she could change it, she would've. But was that enough? She wanted a future—she really did, But she almost felt as though Toby shouldn't give her another chance.

_Fate will find a way. _

Spencer kept hoping and praying that fate would make Toby find his way to her. She wanted—no, _needed_—him there with her.

* * *

_Sorry if you hate me for this chapter. But I think you'll like the next one a whole lot more. So when I get 315 reviews, I'll update. And I can't even believe I'm saying that: 315 reviews. This is crazy!_

**_Addictedtospoby: _**_Cassidy is like four or five months old now. She's still a little tiny baby. _

**_spoby equals awesomeness: _**_Toby didn't yell at her! I don't think he did...anyway, Toby can't get mad at Spencer. He just loves her too much :)_

**_Guest: _**_Wait for it...wait for it._

**_mickeymack16: _**_Taleb is the best. They're my brotp and four seasons is too freaking long to have waited for their bromance. It should've happened like the second Caleb stepped into Rosewood. They're just awesome and will live on in my fanfictions. _

**_Spoby101: _**_To be totally honest, I don't know why people don't like me. Maybe it's 'cause I don't talk a lot, but honestly, sometimes, it's better when people don't talk that much. And I am a hopeless romantic. That's totally me. _

**_Onedirection2013: _**_Next chapter is even cuter._

**_psychfan101: _**_I think Jaria is much more interesting and they look cuter together. And Emily was the one who spilled the beans, which is the only reason I said it. _

**_elenabee: _**_You don't actually get to see the Jaria date, but it happens in Chapter 36 (it's mentioned by...some characters). And Spencer is a smarty-pants. She can just do stuff like that. _

**_Guest (EmilyAnne): _**_I think both. I think both when I write the chapters. And that viva la Spoby sounds familiar...MamaSpobette? I think she used that before. Anyway, thanks for reviewing again!_

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_I love Hanna and Taleb. There was Spoby in this chapter, and there will be in the next chapter, too. And Toby does go to New York. I'll repeat that. TOBY DOES GO TO NEW YORK. _

**_vondydora: _**_It's okay. And Spencer doesn't really put up a fight, but she makes her feelings very clear (for once). There will be a resolution by the end of the story, which will be over in just three more chapters+an epilogue. Hanna and Toby are also pretty good friends. They've known each other since about college or sometime around then. Hanna's known Spencer her entire life, so she knows that Spencer is being ridiculous and is being hard on her for her own good. And of course, all their friends want them to get together? Because how can you not ship Spoby?_

**_iAmALittleLiar: _**_Well, they talked it out! And they'll talk it out again next chapter. _

**_Guest (Lis): _**_Things will work themselves out NEXT chapter. _

**_Guest (Ingrid): _**_Oh, thank you! That means a lot to me. I'm so happy you like it._

**_usgrlscanrock: _**_Not to sound conceited, I've never seen another author on this site update as frequently as I do, though I'd be really pleased if someone did that I was obsessed with one of their stories. That was the most awkward sentence ever, but oh well. _

**_Sunset13: _**_When you love someone, their thoughts and their feelings go above and before all of yours. That's how I see it._

**_Spobyluver39: _**_Thank you!_

_So remember, 315 reviews=1 update. I promise the next chapter is worth it. I promise and if it doesn't meet your expectations, I'm not Kayson. __**-Kayson**_


	26. Chapter 25

_**Author's Note: **__I'm going to answer all of your concerns BEFORE this chapter starts, and there will only be a very brief ending note! Just skip over all of this until you get to the chapter if you don't want to read it!_

**_spoby equals awesomeness: _**_Hmm...good things come to those who wait._

**_mickeymack16: _**_Well, buckle up, because we're going for a ride. _

**_ALO.24.8: _**_Read this chapter and then we'll talk. _

**_Spoby101: _**_Again, in a cute Bubbles Utonium voice, I'll say "Aww, shucks." And I know I'm a tease, girl. _

**_Spobyluver39: _**_There's so much angst, isn't there? Well, after the hurricane comes a rainbow. _

**_Addictedtospoby: _**_Obviously my favorite ship is Wrencer. I couldn't resist using Internet Sarcasm. Spoby, ftw. _

**_Spobytastic: _**_She'll get to it. _

**_Guest: _**_My heart was breaking so hard for the both of them. That was, until I wrote this chapter. _

**_Onedirection2013: _**_Um, I'm guessing that's not what you meant to say. If it is...what?_

**_Sleepinthekeegs: _**_Soon enough for you?_

**_elenabee: _**_Spencer's not a boss like Toby to go to NYC for him. And I hate when people can't just admit stuff like that, but...I'll stop talking now._

**_spobettes: _**_Talk to me at the end of the chapter._

**_mrs-cavanaugh: _**_I love your avatar! And again, talk with me at the end of this chapter._

**_DedicatedToSpoby: _**_Toby doesn't get drunk in this fanfic. And I've missed you, and thank you._

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_Spoby, coming right up._

**_Spobyforever259: _**_Everybody seems to get so emotional when I write. I guess I'm good. Hehe._

**_katherinec16: _**_Really? Cool! How long did that take? I've just been wondering (since it's taken me a lot longer to write this than read it._

**_Guest: _**_Hmm...I don't know. You decide._

**_Guest (Annabelle): _**_I love your name and thank you! And two after this+an epilogue. Maybe a sequel is in the cards, too. _

**_Livesnotfarfromdegrassigirl: _**_Soon enough?_

**_SweetPllFan: _**_Awesome, someone who's read Forget Me Not! I hope you liked both stories! Forget Me Not was like my baby. Loved writing it. _

**_Guest: _**_It's today and I updated! Do I get a prize?_

**_dreamsister: _**_I thought "Poor Spencer and Toby" too, but then I wrote this chapter._

**_Guest (Crazy Chick): _**_Is that joking sarcasm or spiteful sarcasm? Either way, you can count on me not to give a resolution until about three chapters before the end of the story. _

**_Sunset13: _**_Ha ha, I wasn't even trying to be funny, but now that you mention it, it is. _

_Sorry if any of my replies seemed extremely terse, but I've been waiting for this moment and this chapter for a long time and I'm really excited for you to read it._

_Don't say I never gave you anything!_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

A week later, Spencer poured Emily a cup of coffee. Emily took it graciously, pouring some sugar in. Spencer drank hers black.

"Have you spoken to Toby?" Emily asked carefully.

Spencer put the cup down. "I thought I should be asking you that," she said.

Emily looked uncomfortable. "I haven't spoken to him since he got to New York," she informed her.

"Where is he in New York?" Spencer asked.

Emily shrugged. "Someplace near the city. Staten Island? Long Island? I don't remember exactly," she answered with a shrug.

Spencer nodded, trying to calm her nerves. She hadn't seen him in what felt like a really long time. She missed him and just wanted him back.

"Is he coming back?" she asked.

"I don't know, Spencer. I know you're nervous, but I barely know anything more than you do," she reminded Spencer. Spencer shuddered, feeling nervous. "Spence, he has to come back here. He left everything here," Emily said, trying to comfort her.

Spencer looked at her skeptically. "I thought you said that nearly everything of actual value was out of his apartment," she said.

"He didn't take you," Emily whispered.

Spencer wanted to believe that was true, but was almost positive she wasn't a good enough reason for Toby to leave New York and come back to Rosewood.

* * *

"How was New York?" Caleb asked Toby as Toby emptied the boxes he had brought with him to New York.

He shrugged. "Okay. But Rosewood is better."

"What about work?"

Another shrug as Toby gently placed down a photo frame of him and his mother when he was really young. "Things are better here, in Rosewood. New York is fine, but that job alone isn't enough to get me to uproot my life here," he confessed.

Caleb looked him over. "Did you come back because of Spencer?" he asked.

Toby stopped in his tracks. He tossed the empty box aside as he moved onto the next. "Why would you say that?" he asked.

"It's fairly obvious," Caleb informed him.

Toby sighed. "If I left now…I would never be certain why I did. I would never know if it was because I was scared of telling Spencer how I feel, or because I genuinely wanted to go to New York. I don't want to leave in that way," he told his best friend. He placed down something else haphazardly. He looked up at Caleb. "How do I make this right?"

Caleb sighed, thinking about it. "Well, that depends on what you want to have happen. You have control over everything that you do. What you do affects how Spencer will react," he said. He studied Toby. "How do you want her to react?"

* * *

Spencer examined her reflection in the mirror as she straightened out her hair. Something felt different about her.

The last time she had thoroughly examined herself, she remembered her very reflection.

It was the day she had met Toby; the day she had gotten engaged to Andrew. She found it funny that the former came to mind before the latter, since typically, getting engaged would've been a bigger deal.

She remembered looking at herself in the mirror. She was a little thinner than she was now, and her hair was curled, her eye makeup done to perfection and her lips a ruby red. She was wearing a bronze, gold, silver, and black tie-dye dress. She had diamond earrings in her ear. There was a small hickey, barely noticeable unless you were really looking, on the right side of her neck. She was taller because of the heels on her feet, which she feared would cause blisters, but didn't care, since she loved the shoes anyway.

Now, she was wearing a red dress with a black cardigan over it. Her face looked tired, but she somehow managed to look pretty. Her face was bare and fresh faced, and Spencer had no intention of putting on makeup now. She was also free of jewelry. She looked down for a moment at her bare feet, the silver nail polish on her toes beginning to peel off.

There was a firm knock on the door. Spencer broke out of her cross-examination of herself to go get it. She was shocked when she saw Toby standing there.

Confused, angry, happy, sad, speechless, love…all the emotions were coming back to her now, as she faced him.

"Toby? What are you doing here?" Spencer asked, her voice shaky.

Toby sighed, staring her in the eyes. "Can I please talk to you? I have a lot I need to say, that I should've said a long time ago," he said.

Spencer moved aside, letting him into the apartment. Since her breakdown, she had cleaned the glass and other casualties of her temper. She closed the door to the apartment and faced him. However, her expression was blank and her arms were crossed over her chest.

"I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry. If I hurt you, or if I made you upset, or if I confused you. I'm sorry about all of it," he confessed.

She bit her lip, her body not moving except for the rise and fall of her chest. "Go on," she prompted.

"I really did go to New York for work. But I couldn't do it. I just felt like things were…wrong. I left things in a bad state. I should've fixed them. And I wanted to tell you that I'm not the one who can stay still, like you claim I am. I'm not the wiser one. I'm not the one who could have dealt with this all. You are," he told her.

Her display of emotion was unwavering and stoic, but inside, curiosity stirred and she wondered where this was going.

"And then, there was this one night in New York that made me realize something. It made me remember something really important in our relationship, whatever it is. I looked up at this one spot in New York that you could actually see the stars. And they reminded me so much of that night that I flew out to Paris to help you," he said, reminiscing about it himself.

The words lingered in her ears, her eyes filling with emotion. With her body language, she told him to go on.

He continued with his recollection of flying to Paris. "I was flying over the Atlantic Ocean when I had an epiphany—"

Spencer interrupted him, speaking finally. "An epiphany? Who even uses that word? It sounds so archaic," she said.

He scoffed. "Look who's talking, Thesaurus. Anyway, I had an epiphany. As I was flying over the Atlantic Ocean, seeing the light reflecting from New York City, I realized that those lights were only paralleled by the sparkle in your eyes."

Spencer's heart swelled with each word.

"And I realized then that I loved you."

Spencer stared him in his eyes—his gorgeous blue eyes—for a moment, before she tore her gaze away, opting instead to focus on the wall of her apartment, which hadn't been painted over and was a simple wall of bricks.

Toby reached out for her, touching her shoulder. Spencer looked up at him, shivering in shock.

"I've been thinking about it ever since Paris," he confessed.

She couldn't find any rational thought. She had no idea what to say to him.

He sighed sadly. "I guess now that I've told you, there's nothing left for me here," he said, before beginning to walk towards the door, which Spencer was still standing by.

Spencer stood, numb, as his fingers grasped the doorknob and he started to open the door. She quickly snapped out of her reverie, beating him to the door before he could leave. She used her arm to slam the door closed, almost severing his fingers in the process.

"Wait!" she exclaimed. Her movements were sudden and choppy. She looked up at him. "Don't go," she pleaded weakly.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Spencer had exchanged pleasantries with Toby, offering him coffee (which he accepted), but not actually saying anything.

"Spencer, was there a reason you wanted me to stay?" Toby asked, cutting through the veneer of normalcy Spencer was trying to create.

She sighed, looking down. She was scared to look him in the eyes when she made her confession. "I've been thinking about what I told you when I told you about Wren. I didn't want it to change things between us. But I felt better after it happened."

Toby closed his eyes, wanting to press images of Spencer with some guy he didn't know. "Do you really think that I want to think about that after telling you what I said when I first got here?" His question came with no bite to it; it sounded like there was only an undertone of sadness.

"I wanted to try and find a way to fix myself. I meant what I said. Wren was a rebound. And I kept hoping over and over that you'd understand that, because I didn't want to hurt you," she said very gently.

"Toby…" she began. "I think I love you."

Toby looked up at her and they locked eyes with one another for what was probably the first time since Toby had come into her apartment.

He opened his mouth to speak before she leaned over the table and kissed him again, very tenderly, and very slowly.

They both took a moment to look into one another's eyes, not exchanging words. Then, one kiss turned to two which turned to a few more until air became essential.

Spencer felt color rise to her cheeks. "I've been wanting to do that again for nine months," she whispered.

She pulled away from him while he stared at her. "Really?" he asked, as if things were too good to be true.

She nodded, while looking down. "I didn't know what to do. I assumed that things could never work because I was pregnant and…I was just really scared," she said finally. He leaned over the counter and touched her hair tenderly, brushing it away from her eyes. "And I guess I was using Wren because I wanted to be over Andrew. For good. Because I didn't want to still be pining for him, especially when you were getting back in my life," she explained.

"Are you still thinking about him?" he inquired cautiously.

She thought about it, shaking her head. "Sometimes I think about our son, but…I don't care about him anymore," she insisted. She touched his hand, which was still lingering in her hair. "Please say something," she pleaded again.

She looked devastatingly adorable at the moment. He sighed. "I care about you, but…I really don't know if you're ready to move on, or if you even truly want to move on with me."

"I just want to be with you, Toby. And I just want to be with you in the moment; no pretenses."

"I don't want to hurt you—"

"Love is taking that risk. I feel like I've been hurting more waiting around and not telling you how I really feel," Spencer explained. "If you don't want to—"

She was interrupted abruptly by another sudden, unexpected, but passionate kiss on the lips. Both became more carefree, their lips separating so Toby could stand right beside her. He raked his fingers through her beautiful, dark chestnut hair. His hands moved to the small of her back. She had her hands on his face. She was taken by surprise when he lifted her up and placed her on an empty spot on the counter.

She moved her arms so they were around his neck as they continued to kiss. She felt butterflies in the pit of her stomach.

They finally pulled away after some minutes later. Spencer brushed her thumb back and forth on the back of Toby's neck, while his hands were on her waist. Spencer leaned in while biting her lip so her forehead and nose was pressed gently against his.

"I've been waiting for this since the first time I saw you," he disclosed quietly.

She nodded slightly. "I think I have, too."

* * *

_So I'll just take as many reviews as I can mooch from this chapter, since I've finally given you what you want. I'll update...when I feel like it. But I'll definitely try and finish before my cruise sets sail next Saturday. Ttfn! __**-Kayson**_


	27. Chapter 26

**_Author's Note: _**_Alright, I will say this ONE MORE TIME before I ignore every person who asks me this question. THIS IS THE PENULTIMATE CHAPTER OF BEGIN AGAIN. THERE IS ONE MORE CHAPTER AND AN EPILOGUE AFTER THIS. It didn't really annoy me, but I know myself and it would most likely eventually drive me insane. So, if anyone asks me again, I will simply ask you to refer to this author's note. Or I simply won't answer._

_Le sigh, Kayson. I remember now that after this chapter, it'll only be two more updates until this story is over :( I was thinking of taking a hiatus from fanfiction because of another project I need to work on, and I'm not sure how I'll be able to juggle it with fanfiction and music and school come September. Now that it's the ninth grade for me (in case you didn't know, I'm only fourteen), I actually need to start studying. I don't even know what that feels like. So, I was thinking of finishing this story, possibly taking a break from this AU, completing my Fabrastings story, and possibly coming back for a sequel to this story. But I likely won't be so active anymore. Boohoo. _

_So, I know you didn't ask to hear my life story, but just my thoughts. _

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Aria looked over things one last time for Spencer. She showed her a list which was on the refrigerator.

"And those are the emergency numbers. There's money in the cookie jar with twenty dollars for pizza," Aria told Spencer.

Spencer scoffed. "I think I can manage, Aria. I'm not in high school; I'm not doing this for minimum wage," she reminded her.

"Good, because I wasn't planning on paying you. Consider this tribute for the time I held back your hair _all day_ when you decided it would be a good idea to eat three half-gallon containers of ice cream in one day. To make it worse, your lactose intolerance was acting up," she said.

Spencer rolled her eyes. "You're never going to get over that, are you?"

"Nope. But thanks for watching Cassidy on my date with Jason," Aria said as she began to put on some heels. She stood and walked towards the door, opening it. She stopped while it was ajar. "And I would normally say no boys allowed, but I think you and Toby are adorable, and I trust you not to do anything inappropriate with Cassidy around," she added.

"Okay, Aria. You should probably go before you get ahead of yourself. We'll be fine. I'll take good care of Cassidy," Spencer promised.

She ushered Aria out the door before she walked into Cassidy's nursery, picking her up and rocking her.

* * *

Cassidy was such a lovable little girl.

Except for when she wasn't.

Spencer was trying to coax Cassidy into eating, but the feat seemed to be near impossible, as the little girl was smart enough to swiftly avoid any food Spencer had tried to give her. Aria had suggested earlier that if she wouldn't eat the pureed foods, to try and give her formula, but she didn't want that either.

Spencer sighed as someone knocked on the door. She gave up, getting up to get the door. She allowed Toby, who was standing there, to come in. Normally, she would've given him a small kiss, but she was too frustrated by Cassidy's unwillingness to comply with her attempts. Toby followed her inside. Cassidy smiled at Toby.

"I can't get her to eat anything," Spencer said, the frustration peeking out.

"Do you want me to help you?" he asked.

Spencer shrugged. "Go right ahead. Good luck getting her to put anything in her mouth. I've been trying for like half an hour and she—"

Spencer stopped midsentence when she saw Toby feeding Cassidy with ease. It was like she was looking at the eighth wonder of the world.

"How did you manage to do that?" she asked in amusement.

He shrugged. "Maybe you're trying too hard," he teased.

Spencer nudged him in the arm, playing along. "Hey!" she exclaimed. She sighed as she sat down next to him and across from Cassidy. "I realize that I may not be the most motherly person, and I probably shouldn't have children anytime soon. But you don't have to rub it in," she said with mock annoyance and disdain.

"Don't be ridiculous. You would probably make a great mother," he replied. Secretly, he was glad that Spencer was able to make jokes so soon, though he knew that she was probably still thinking of her son.

She sighed as she looked at Cassidy, who was studying Toby carefully. "Right now, I think I'm just content with being Cassidy's aunt," Spencer said finally.

Toby nodded. He could understand that.

"Aria actually just asked me if I would be her godmother," she announced.

"Really? That's great, Spencer," he said as he fed Cassidy another spoonful of food. "You must be so excited."

She smiled. "I am. I love her so much." She was staring at Cassidy, who was still staring at Toby intently with her big hazel eyes. "You know, she's really fascinated by you," she informed Toby. "Almost as much as I am."

Toby smiled brightly at her. He pecked her quickly on the lips.

"What was that for?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Nothing; for being you," he supposed. "Why? Do I need a reason to kiss you?" he asked jokingly.

She shrugged. "Andrew always made me feel like everything he did for me, even kissing, had to have a justified reason. Like…I had to do something to earn it," she explained as she wiped away some food from Cassidy's cheek.

"You don't have to do anything but be yourself for me," he announced, entranced by her beauty. "If anything, I'm the one who's lucky to have you," he insisted.

Spencer didn't say anything, but got up and picked up Cassidy. "I'm not having this argument with you right now," she responded with a discreet smile.

"What argument?"

She shrugged. "I just know that your statement is wrong, but I know that if I call you out on it, you're going to unremittingly deny it. Even though it's true," she answered.

"I'm right," he said stubbornly.

"No, I am. I'm the lucky one," she retorted playfully.

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, Spence. But I'm right."

She proceeded to pat Cassidy on the back, rocking her gently, and walking into her room. She looked around the room quickly. She remembered when Aria first started living in the apartment that the room was bare, and devoid of life. Now, it was bright, with baby toys present in nearly every corner of the room.

Spencer placed Cassidy down gently in her crib, smiling as the little girl giggled. She reached out for a toy which was in her crib, snuggling up to it. Within a matter of minutes, the little girl succumbed to sleep. Spencer smiled. Through the whole time, she hadn't realized Toby was watching her from the doorway. She almost jumped as she saw him standing behind her.

"God, you scared me!" she said quietly, before brushing past him and into the living room. Toby followed her, leaving the door slightly ajar.

Spencer walked over to the dining room table, sitting for a moment before picking up a deck of cards. "Do you want to play a game?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Sure. What do you want to play?"

"Do you know how to play BS?" she asked.

"Doesn't everyone?"

She rolled her eyes with a smile as she took the cards out, beginning to shuffle them with ease, pulling a bunch of fancy card tricks on the deck.

"What, did you aspire to be a blackjack dealer?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I had a boyfriend in high school who was completely the opposite of what my parents would've wanted: he was a professional poker player. Or, he was working at it," she explained.

Toby laughed. "But he's a professional," he insisted.

Spencer rolled her eyes. "You're right. He was a professional. Anyway, I picked up some things from him," she explained.

"I'm sorry, I can't picture you dating a poker player. Did he have a bunch of tattoos? Piercings?" he asked.

She thought about it. "He had a lot of tattoos and a piercing in his left ear. I don't even think I was attracted to him. I was just attracted to the notion of dating someone my parents didn't like. And then, when I got to college, I realized that they didn't want me dating guys like that for a reason. And I don't mean guys who looked like him. I mean guys who just don't care about anything," she said as she began to deal the cards. She looked up at him as she placed the last card in his deck. "In fact, compared to the guys I was seeing in high school and college, you'd be a saint. Even if you do have a tattoo," she teased with a smirk.

"So now I'm meeting your parents? And how do you know if I have a tattoo?" he inquired as he picked up the cards.

She smiled. "I'm just being hopeful; that's all." Her smile faded to a smirk. "And trust me, I remember seeing you shirtless, even nine months later. You have a tattoo on your left hip that says 901, Free At Last. I was kind of curious. What does that mean?" she asked.

Toby thought about it for a moment as he rearranged the cards in his hand. "I got that tattoo for my stepsister. I went to therapy for a while after she killed herself. I didn't tell you this, but I was the one who found her. She…slit her wrists in the bathroom, and it was a long time before I was able to get that image out of my mind. But I remember in her note that she told me things would be better…that she would finally be free from the ridicule. The date she killed herself was September 1st. I guess I just tried to get over it by telling myself she was finally free," he explained.

Spencer was caught in a trance as she stared at him. "You're an amazing person, you know that?" she asked finally.

He looked up at her as he put down two cards. "Two twos," he said.

"You're amazing, but BS. I have three," she said.

He shrugged. "I was hoping you wouldn't notice," he answered.

"I should've realized you really can't play BS with two people. Do you want to see what else Aria has? I think there's Monopoly and Scrabble in her closet," Spencer said, averting her eyes from him as she took the cards on the table.

"Monopoly takes too long," he replied. "Let's play Scrabble."

Spencer nodded before going off to get it. She returned with the board game and placed it on the table.

"Prepare to be beaten to a pulp," she teased.

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Confident, aren't we? You should know I'm undefeated at this game."

* * *

About seven rounds and two or three glasses of wine into the game, Spencer examined the board before determining which move she would make. She finally put down the word "scamper", putting her a few points ahead of Toby.

"Your turn," she announced with a smirk as she calculated the points.

Toby examined her, looking down at his tiles. In no amount of time, he came up with "syllabus", reaching the triple word score and the double letter score on the letter "A", giving him forty-two points, plus fifty points for the bingo bonus, pushing him way ahead of Spencer, as this round, he scored ninety-two points.

"Boom," he said simply. "Ninety-two points. Beat that."

Spencer scowled as she double and triple checked him, but found that he was correct. "You got lucky this time," she mumbled.

He shook his head and fished around the bag for more tiles.

* * *

After a few more grueling rounds and two more glasses of wine, the game was over. Spencer threw the pencil down in defeat.

"Fine. You won. _This time,_" she argued.

He rolled his eyes. "Admit it, Spencer. You're inferior to me at this game," he teased.

She scoffed. "You got lucky and I haven't played in almost a year. No big deal," she insisted.

Toby simply laughed. His smile was infectious and Spencer found herself smiling again. Her phone buzzed against the table. She picked it up and glanced at it, her smile fading and being replaced by a scowl.

This did not go unnoticed by Toby, as he noticed that her phone had been buzzing throughout their game. "Is someone bothering you, Spence?" he asked.

She shrugged, beginning to pick up the tiles. "Someone told Andrew that I was pregnant and he's been bothering me. Especially recently," she explained warily.

"How recently?"

"The last month or so. I don't know if he knows that the baby died," she revealed.

Toby looked at her, his eyes filled with concern. "You have to tell him."

She sighed. "I know. But I don't even want to look at him, Toby. I don't even want to _think _about him. I just want to forget."

She closed the bag and placed all of the contents of the game back in the box before turning to Toby. "Toby…help me forget," she said.

He furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean?" he asked wearily, worried about where this was going.

"I just want to remember what it's like to laugh again and be happy. And you're the person who I think would help me the most," she confessed quietly as she went into Aria's room to put back the board.

Toby thought about it as he heard someone fumbling with the doorknob and knew immediately it was Aria.

Spencer walked back in the room about the same time Aria walked in. Aria sighed as she sat down on the couch, taking off her heels.

"Hey, Aria. How was your date?" Spencer asked.

Aria threw her shoes on the floor and sighed. "Great! How was yours?" she looked a little bit glassy-eyed, a pretty clear indicator that she was likely a little bit tipsy.

Spencer turned the slightest shade of pink. "I wasn't on a date," she murmured.

Toby took that as his cue to leave. "I think I'd better show myself the way out. Goodbye, Aria." He turned to Spencer, smiling at her. "Bye, Spencer."

As soon as the door clicked shut, Aria broke out into a devious smile. "Aww…you're both so adorable! So how did that date go?" she asked.

Spencer rolled her eyes. "There really was no date. We just stayed here while Cassidy was sleeping and played Scrabble."

Aria raised her eyebrows. "Spencer! I never pictured you guys doing it in someone else's apartment. Though, truth be told, I'm not that grossed out by it, unless you did it in my bed."

"Aria!" Spencer exclaimed incredulously. "What are you talking about? We didn't do anything."

"I know what playing Scrabble is code for. It's code for Rock, Paper, Take Off All Your Clothes," she mumbled.

Spencer shook her head. "You need to go to sleep. I'm not bringing the horse tranquilizer tomorrow," Spencer warned before she brought Aria to bed.

* * *

Spencer was channel surfing later that night when her phone buzzed. She was fearing another text from Andrew, but instead received one from Toby.

_Do you want to go out sometime?_

Spencer contemplated this. She decided to tease him some by dragging this out forever.

_Like on a date? A romantic one?_

She realized she was being cruel, not to mention that Toby had been waiting forever for something like this to happen, but figured he might as well know he was possibly getting involved with a sadist.

_Yes. You can say no if you don't want to go. _

She smiled at his sweetness. How could she refuse?

_I would love to go on a date with you. Just say when and where and I'll be there._

She cringed at how cheesy that sounded, but got a reply quickly.

_I thought maybe we could meet at Alison's Diner. That one that we first went out to? Is Wednesday at six a good time?_

Spencer made a mental note to cancel anything she might've scheduled for that day.

_It sounds perfect. I'll see you then._

* * *

**_Troian-Bells: _**_They're the cutest things ever. And I'm also sad that the story is ending. I'm so glad you love it, though!_

**_spobettes: _**_I know you've been waiting for this for a while! I'm so glad you loved it! And I really want everyone to realize that Spencer really, really loves Toby, but she's been scared to admit it to everyone, including herself. So now, the load has been lifted off her chest. _

**_spoby equals awesomeness: _**_Spoby is endgame. I hope you guys realize that I'm only trying to make you guys happy (well, me too, but it's mostly for you), so I just wanted everything to be what you wanted. I wanted to live up to your high expectations._

**_Sunset13: _**_I came up with that line so long ago and I loved it so much. I think I got it when I was writing the chapter he flies to Paris. I've just kept it next to my outline and remembered to use it. And it's funny you should mention that. I was talking to my friend and he's asking me why I'm hating on guys, and I just started ranting about how everybody should have a Toby freaking Cavanaugh because he's that freaking awesome and sweet and incredimazing, and if I ever met a guy like that I would never let him go because he's like Toby freaking Cavanaugh. I love Toby so much. It's not even funny. He's like my favorite character ever. Right next to Auntie Snixx. I love Santana so much. _

**_Addictedtospoby: _**_I guess you and I are alike 'cause when I get super excited about a fanfiction, I want to jump up and down and run around the block. Thank you!_

**_ : _**_Sorry I butchered your username (again), but that stupid spam filter doesn't let me use it. Anyway, thank you so much! I'm glad it lived up to your expectations._

**_psychfan101: _**_You didn't think Toby would be gone for long, did you? These last two chapters were a little fluffy, since I felt like you guys needed relief, and there were still a few references from the song I wanted to get out there. I think they're cute, as egotistical as it sounds. Like I said, I'm not too keen on writing fluff, so you won't ever really see a whole lot of it from me. _

**_doctorwholuv: _**_I'm going to apologize in advance (and likely again at the end after I address this review) if I come off as rude, but I'm going to put this as nicely as I can. This isn't because I can't handle criticism, but because I like the choice I've made and I'll stand by it. I won't add Ezra into this story because I feel like it's unnecessary and there are already enough Ezria fanfictions on this website. I realize that you're not telling me to make Ezra Aria's main love interest, but I feel like it'll be pretty much unavoidable if I add him in. I like having Jason in this story and I don't feel like I'd want Aria to betray Jason, who she knows has deep feelings for her (because he does), and in turn feel like she's betraying Cassidy. It's mostly about Spencer and Toby. I don't want to add Aria's relationship drama into the mix. So sorry if that came off as rude, as that was not my intention, but I will stick by my choices and I won't change them. _

**_Spoby101: _**_I'm so glad! I'm so happy! And I really hope I made the bad day better. I know how awesome it feels to read something and feel better. _

**_Onedirection2013: _**_I don't know if you realize how entertained I am by your comments sometimes. They're so short and sweet. Yay, they kissed :D_

**_Sleepinthekeegs: _**_I loved writing this chapter! And I'm totally okay with you guys asking me to update. I like knowing you like this story. It makes me feel happy. _

**_mickeymack16: _**_Thank you! So glad you liked the chapter!_

**_Spobyforever259: _**_I'm so glad you like it. And I'm good at writing "hooks," so to speak. Now if only I could write a good song..._

**_elenabee: _**_True love conquers all, that's what I think. Spencer+Toby=True Love. _

**_ALO.24.8: _**_:)_

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_I know! They finally did it! Wow, that sounded dirty. I blame Jahir...it's all his fault (that's my friend, by the way)._

**_spencie: _**_I'm actually pretty glad you reviewed that because it's nice to hear another opinion. It actually gave me an idea...hmm...But I do want you to understand that among those things, Spencer has really been hurting. I mean, she lost a child, it felt as though her world was being ripped apart. It was not easy on her, either. In fact, I think it might've been harder. Her entire world was changing so quickly when months prior, everything felt stable. Her world came crumbling, and I don't think that she did it out of spite. She really loves Toby, and the thing with Wren was like a rebound. Sometimes people look for meaningless little flings after getting out of a serious relationship just so they can heal, like a rebound. Spencer didn't want that to be him. She wanted something meaningless so she could get used to the feeling of being with someone before she admitted things to Toby. I think that was her perfectionism peeking through. _

**_Guest (Annabelle): _**_Well, thank you, and I'm so happy that you liked it. I didn't keep you waiting too long on that update :)_

**_iAmALittleLiar: _**_Ha ha, I know everyone is saying "FINALLY!" I know I've been building this up for forever, but I know that if you make the journey harder, the payoff is usually better. It tastes sweeter :)_

**_Guest (Lis): _**_I am not totally sure. I'm going to get this off my chest right now. Among the shows popular for kids around my age/other teens, I have not watched: One Tree Hill, 90201, The Vampire Diaries, Degrassi, or Gossip Girl, EVER. Actually, I watched one episode of TVD VERY briefly, and I wasn't even paying attention. I just know Elena was trapped somewhere, and I think Claire Holt was there, somewhere in the equation. So I don't know, it might be an unintentional quote from One Tree Hill. Anyway, I'm glad you liked it and here's the update. _

**_Guest (Crazy Chick): _**_You made me start thinking of Icona Pop. I love "I Love It"...hmm, gotta go listen to it now even though it's 11:37 PM/EST where I am. _

**_LynnLayne18: _**_Yup, I was supposed to write only like one chapter a week, but I got inspired by something, and I saw people were reading the other chapters, so I figured, "Why not just update more frequently?" And your review made me so happy, like I can't even explain. I'm grinning like an idiot right now. And I just wanted to let you know how much I loved both of your stories. Find A Way was beautiful and I'm loving Just a Summer Romance. Find A Way DESTROYED my feels, though. Loved it. Now I'd better stop before I end up on the floor. _

_Ah, I'm so happy right now. But there is one last thing I should say. _

_There's this author, Sylviecake231, who you may or may not have heard of before. Anyway, she's cool, and her story __**Forever in the Form of 15 Years **__is so cool, I just love it, and I know she's on holiday right now, but I think she'd be super excited if she came back seeing that she has a bunch of new readers. So if you're not reading it already (which you totally should be), you HAVE to go read it right now, because I love it and it's so cute. I know there was a shout out in a previous AN, but I needed another one, because that story is just so good and free of grammatical errors (which I, the Grammar Nazi, happen to love). It's Spoby, and I love, love, love it. I just cannot get over how much I love that story right now. She's a genius, and that's all I have to say. Go read it, now!_

_Also, I would love to have 360 reviews before I update and upload Chapter 37, which likely won't be again until Tuesday since I'm coming back home tomorrow. Hint, hint. __**-Kayson**_


	28. Chapter 27

_**Author's Note: **__I'm really sorry for making you guys wait this long! Anyway, this is the first official Spoby date (and second, too)._

_I'm glad you guys seemed to like Aria's version of Scrabble, but I will not take credit for an idea which was not mine: all the credit for that idea and that line goes to Jenna Marbles and her video "Pick-up/Hook-up Lines" (Not sure if that's the actual name, but it's hilarious), and whoever said on Tumblr that playing Scrabble in the Spoby dictionary=sex. That way, you can say they played scrabble on a bed in a motel room both figuratively and literally ;)_

_BTW, this chapter is dedicated to Onedirection2013, because I know that you've wanted a Spoby date scene and you've been so awesome about reviewing this entire time :)_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Spencer paused in the mirror as she observed herself in the mirror.

God, why was she such a perfectionist?

She fixed the red sundress she was wearing, wondering if the dark red shade of red on her lips was too dramatic. She wondered if her heels made this feel like too much of a formal date. She felt kind of over-done for this simple first date.

But she wanted to make an impression. She wanted to make him say, "Wow."

_He's going to say it, anyway. He already loves you. You don't need to try with him._

The voice in her head, for once, was right. Spencer didn't want to admit it, but she knew, deep down, that this was the truth.

* * *

Toby paced back and forth in his apartment, stressing over this first date with Spencer.

He was excited, to say the least, since he had been waiting for this for ages, but he couldn't help but wonder whether he would really screw things up. That was his biggest fear.

He walked into the room filled with all the paintings. For a moment, he wondered whether this was normal, or if someone would see his pictures as a creepy gesture, making him out to be a stalker.

He tried to shake the uncertainty.

Something, however, caught his eye.

He had a great idea.

* * *

Spencer took a deep breath before she opened the door and walked into the diner, looking for Toby. She spotted him and walked over.

Toby stood, pulling out her chair and helping her into her seat. She smiled. At the risk of causing Susan B. Anthony to turn over in her grave, she wasn't all too unhappy to see that chivalry was still alive and well. It wasn't something that Spencer was used to—having a man show such a simple gesture of affection.

Toby gave her a bunch of white orchids. Spencer figured that he really liked her, since he was pulling out all the stops. She took them graciously.

"Toby…they're beautiful. Thank you," she said.

He gazed at them, then at Spencer. "They're still not as beautiful as you," he replied quietly. "I looked up their meaning. White orchids mean delicate beauty. Like you," he explained.

Spencer didn't even try to contain her blush.

_It was you all along._

* * *

As the end of their date was approaching, both of them didn't want it to end. They were avoiding the topics, veering off into other ones, ordering multiple cups of coffee so they'd have another excuse to stay.

Neither one ever felt the need to make a conversation. There was never a need for talking, as there was this unspoken agreement that they were content with each other's company. It was a sight that could make even the most cold-hearted person smile.

"You do realize that we will eventually have to leave, right?" she said, breaking him out of his childlike laughter.

"I know," he answered somewhat sadly.

She smiled optimistically. "But that doesn't mean that this date has to end." Her words were coated in the same childlike veneer.

"What are you saying?" he inquired.

She shrugged. "A rematch? I've been brushing up on the dictionary and my Q-without-U words," she informed him.

He sighed. "I don't know. Do you really want to put yourself through the pain of losing again?" Toby asked playfully.

"Who are you calling the loser?"

* * *

Spencer watched Toby place the tiles down as she held a glass of wine to her lips, not drinking any.

"Yellowing. That's twenty-one. Times three is sixty-three. I think that would push me way ahead of you," he said with a smug expression.

She bit her lip as she placed the glass down. He was _crushing her, _and it was his first turn. She had, unfortunately, gotten a bunch of vowels that were utterly useless, and the only decent word she could form was "yell".

She nodded, trying to keep the disappointment off her face. "So it's seven and sixty-three, you. But things could still turn around."

He flashed her a smile, which she found infectious. She gave in and smiled. "Fine. I've finally met my match at this game. I admit it," she said. "But for the record, you're the only other person I've played who hasn't been completely crushed."

"I can deal with being the only one."

_For everything._

She nodded in agreement. She looked down at her tiles when her phone buzzed. Admittedly, Toby looked more nervous than she did.

She looked at the phone and placed it back down, her expression unwavering. Toby looked at her with concern. "Was that Andrew again?" he asked cautiously.

She shook her head. "No. I sorted that out. He shouldn't be calling again, ever," she replied brusquely. She sighed as she looked down at the tiles again.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

She looked up at him, her brown eyes filled with some kind of emotion. "What is there to talk about?" she asked innocently.

"A lot of things. How do you feel about it all?" Toby asked.

Spencer looked into the depths of his blue eyes, the windows to his soul, and saw how much he cared and how genuine he was about it all. "I don't know. It's weird. I feel sort of…alone. And I know it's because I've been pushing people away throughout all of this, but I regret it now. Things just don't feel the same with Aria or Hanna or…anybody, really," she confessed.

"Things are different now. _You're _different," he agreed cautiously.

She nodded. "I'm different," she repeated. "I don't know if that's good or bad anymore."

"It can be a good thing."

"How do you feel about the new Spencer?" she inquired nervously. She felt her nails digging into her palm as she waited for an answer.

He thought about it for a moment. "I think she's just as amazing as the old one. She's still Spencer. She's just more…grounded and observant," he answered, picking out his adjectives carefully.

She laughed. "Are you saying I was stuck-up and ignorant before?" she asked. From the tone of her voice he could tell she was joking.

He shook his head. "Not at all. I'm just saying that you've learned from what you've been through," Toby answered with a smile.

* * *

A week later, Spencer and Toby were both leaving the restaurant that they had gone to for their second date.

"Do you maybe want to see that Hitchcock double feature next week? They're playing Psycho and The Birds at the classic movie theatre in town," he suggested.

Spencer was about to bring up how Andrew used to hate that movie theatre, but bit her tongue. She didn't know how to answer.

"I used to love those old movies. My step-sister and I used to watch them a lot. I even remembered watching Psycho for the first time with my mom. She loved thrillers," he said.

Spencer looked over at him, and she nodded. She wanted to talk about his family. She wanted to talk about her family. She wanted to talk about everything with him. "I'd love to go see that with you next week," she answered with a smile.

And once more, Spencer was caught up in his dazzling blue eyes.

* * *

The car ride home consisted of about a minute of awkward silence. But then, Toby turned on the radio. Some classic rock music came on.

"Do you really listen to this station?" she asked in disbelief. The only person she knew who listened to this station was her father in his wannabe-cool dad phase. It was an old station where they pretty much played the same ten songs all the time.

"What? You don't like rock music?" he inquired with mirrored disbelief.

She shook her head. "I like it. But the only person I know, or knew, who listened to this station was my father when he was going through his weird phase," she explained.

"Well, I'm not your dad, and we don't have to listen to it if you don't want to," he said, reaching out to turn off the radio.

Spencer reached out, her hand touching his. He didn't pull away, nor did she. Eventually, he did to put both hands back on the steering wheel. "Don't change it. I like it," she said with a smile.

Toby smiled, turning back to the road.

* * *

Spencer sighed as they walked into her apartment. Months ago, if someone had told her that she would've been walking into her apartment, which she had _alone_, coming back from a second date with Toby Cavanaugh, and she was already absolutely certain that she loved him, she would've laughed.

Then again, she was a different person a year ago. One year earlier, she never would've thought of being alone. She would've liked to have believed that Andrew would be there for her, unconditionally. She also wouldn't have thought to have fallen in love after two dates.

Three months ago, Spencer wouldn't have ever pictured such a beautiful moment. She would've figured that she was a lost cause when it came to love. She was already impregnated by someone, having their child. She would likely never meet a man who wanted anything more than just sex, simply because of that fact alone. And never in a million years would she have thought that she'd be on a date with Toby. Secretly, she had hoped for it, but it never crossed her mind that her dream might have come true.

Now, it all felt so natural to her.

"Thank you for bringing me home. I had a lot of fun tonight," she said. "Do you want coffee?" she asked, already walking over to the quintessential coffee pot.

Toby looked at her, but sighed. "I'm sorry. I can't I have a lot to do tomorrow. I wish I could stay," he answered lustfully.

Spencer found it endearing, his blue eyes seemingly lost in thought. Still, she pouted. "Maybe some other time?" she asked.

"If we're still on for the double feature, I'm pretty sure that's an empty week for me, for the most part," he announced, acting as if he really were thinking about it in his mind.

She smiled and nudged him. "You're such a tease," she said.

Spencer walked him to the door, saddened at the idea of him leaving. "Hey, Toby?" she called out as he was about to leave.

He turned, all his attention on her.

"Do you think it's possible to be in love after two dates?" she asked quietly.

"I'd say it feels as though we were dating for a lot longer," he answered honestly.

She nodded slightly. "I know, but…it feels crazy."

"Love is crazy," he reminded her.

She nodded with a smile. Their love was insanity but…it was her clarity, too. "I'll see you next week," Spencer answered as she was about to watch him leave.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" he asked.

She nodded with a nervous smile. Toby bent down to give her a gentle kiss on the lips.

"I was hoping you'd finally ask me that."

And for the first time, the past was the past.

* * *

_Again, I am SO SO SO sorry for making you wait! But there was this whole problem with the internet in my house...apparently someone knocked out the cable with a truck (don't even ask) and I was out of the internet, cable, and the phone for a week._

**_Addictedtospoby: _**_Ha ha ha! I love your optimistic thinking! Maybe, maybe not. It depends on the reviewers ;) In other words, the fate of #SpobySex is in your hands._

**_spoby equals awesomeness: _**_I wanted to try this new thing. It's called not making Jenna a total bitch. And I like the tattoo; I think it's part of Toby (obviously, since it's on his body) and also because it kind of adds something to his character. Of course, all that being said, I wasn't going to keep in the whole plot of Toby getting raped. _

**_mickeymack16: _**_Yeah, when people from my last story found out I was only fourteen, they didn't believe me, either. I guess I'm just mature for my age :) And I'm not trying to make Aria an alcoholic or a lush or anything, but I know that if you're a smaller person (like me and Aria), it doesn't take a lot of alcohol to get you drunk, and Aria likes tequila :)_

_**Spobyforever259: **__Cassidy loves her Uncle Toby! And maybe Spencer was looking into her future ;)_

**_infintydreamzz: _**_I don't think that it'll be a full-blown hiatus, but I will probably be on a lot less frequently. And I wish I could do come nail art like the ones they have on Tumblr. I suck at doing my nails because I'm so damn impatient, I can't wait for them to dry. Thank you for your support and your feedback on the whole sequel debacle. _

**_Spobyforever1907: _**_Nope, Andrew is out. Hasta la vista, baby. And yes, only the epilogue now :( I'm very sad. :(_

**_Guest: _**_I would love to write as a profession, seeing as I love it so much, and I'm practically already doing it full-time. If I was able to write a story aside from my babies, I could probably send it to a publisher and cross my fingers! Still, it's another profession which requires a certain amount of luck. Even if a story is published, it doesn't guarantee that it'll be a best seller or sell a lot of copies. Someone has to notice the story and like it, then promote it, so...but I would love to do that. _

**_vondydora: _**_I don't think Toby going away was so much of them trying to escape and run away from their problems, but them trying to distance themselves and look at the problem for what it really is. And I'm Team Toby, all day, every day. Like even when he was A, I couldn't bring myself to dislike him. And good for you, for having self control and not laughing like an idiot when you read something, because I do that all the time. I think Toby+being an uncle/daddy would be the sweetest thing ever *hint hint* and I love Toby and Cassidy. Also Spoby+Scrabble is awesome. It's essential._

**_Onedirection2013: _**_So this was your chapter, and I hope I did the Spoby date night justice, because they're just too adorable together. _

**_Sunset13: _**_I forgot all about Alison's Secrets! Wow, memories. I just like adding little Alison allusions in the story (and in this AU, she's still alive, and kicking it...she might make an appearance, should I decide to make a sequel)_

**_spobettes: _**_I actually watched the TCAs just to see that 'cause you told me about it. I watched it and I was just like OMG, Keegan, you're the cutest thing ever. Minin will be so proud of you. LOL, JK, but you got me. However, I was so saddened. If you watch Glee, you'd know about the showmance between Lea Michele and Cory Monteith and their characters, and seeing Lea Michele cry as she dedicated her award to her late boyfriend just DESTROYED me. Sorry if I unloaded that all on you and you don't like Glee, but I was just so sad...it would be like the equivalent of Spencer dedicating her Nobel Peace Prize to Toby after he died in some tragic way...I feel tears just thinking about it. _

**_Guest (Crazy Chick): _**_Glad you liked it!_

**_Guest (EmilyAnne): _**_I'm glad you seemed to enjoy it and sorry for hurting your feels in the middle. Truce? Anyway, I've read a lot of MamaSpobette's pieces. I like her one shots a little more (no hate, just saying), but I've got to say it is making me so MAD that NWHE has not been updated in like three months. However, I understand that she may have prior commitments, so I've emotionally unattached myself from that story, because I cannot. I've noticed she really hasn't written since then, so I'll just assume that it's a really bad case of writer's block/lack of time. Also, she's like the Queen of Spoby, so, in the words of Natalie Nunn, the loud, trash-talking diva I cannot decide how I feel about, I'll "bow down to the motherf'ing queen". #JustSayin. I Think I should probably stop now. _

**_LynnLayne18: _**_I sure did read your stories! And I love them! And am I really your favorite author? I wouldn't say the stuff I write is exceptionally great. I use a lot of purple prose and people think I'm all fancy schmancy for it. But thank you for reading!_

**_Guest: _**_Sorry this update wasn't so fast! I've just been dealing with internet problems. Ugh. _

**_Guest (Anna): _**_I'm glad you like it! Spoby babysitting is the best!_

**_dreamcatch3r: _**_You're my age? I like your story, by the way. I can't wait to see what happens at the dinner with Spencer, Toby, and her parents (assuming you haven't updated since I last saw it). And like I said before, Cassidy loves her Uncle Toby (and so does Spencer)!_

**_Guest: _**_Well, I would honestly be nowhere without you guys. I was just writing for fun before, but now I feel like I'm actually good at it, so I thank everyone who's read, commented, favorited, and followed my story. _

**_Livesnotfarfromdegrassigirl: _**_I'm glad you love it. Thanks for reading!_

**_FanFicWriter47: _**_Thanks! I loved your story "Gatlingburg Summer Games". I've never really seen anything like that story, and I hope that you continue it (though it's entirely up to you), and I'd love to know where they're going. You will certainly be seeing more of me, in some way, shape, or form. And I'm not so concerned about ninth grade when it comes to grades. I've been a Straight-A student my entire life, and that was without studying. I'm much more concerned with my extracurriculars and the behind-your-back-thugs who talk non-stop about you when you're not there. People don't like me in school (as I may have mentioned before), so I'm just concerned on whether or not it'll get any better next year. _

**_beautifuldreamerr: _**_I think that Spencer post-Andrew is much more like the Spencer on the show. I've truly enjoyed writing for her so much, and while it's sad to see this story come to a close, I'm so glad to see the journey Spencer took in this story. She truly grew a lot since the first chapter, and I love that._

**_DedicatedToSpoby: _**_I just wanted to let you know that your review made me smile and laugh so much, like I'm grinning ear-to-ear right now. I will certainly keep writing, as long as people keep reading, and I hope to have you as a reader with whichever new Spoby story I put out there. _

_So, get me 380 reviews and I will upload the epilogue (I promise you, it is worth it)! If I don't get that amount by tomorrow at 12:30, you won't get the update for another week!_

_380 REVIEWS=EPILOGUE!_

_Anyway, I will have one final question to ask you guys after the Epilogue is uploaded (and it's more fluff, so please review, even if you've never reviewed before)! __**-Kayson**_


	29. Epilogue

_**Author's Note:**__ I'm just going to upload this before I go away. I want to thank everyone for this amazing experience here. Thank you so, so much. _

**_LynnLayne18: _**_I loved doing parallels to the song. I thought it was cool, and I've had some of the ideas ever since I sat down to write the story. What I do is basically write the prologue of a story, when I get an idea, and usually the first chapter. Like, I just started working on a Haleb/Spoby fanfiction (dominantly Haleb, and it's the first one I've ever really done for them) and the first song that popped into my head: How To Be a Heartbreaker by Marina and the Diamonds (I love her, btw), so before my outline, I write the lyrics, italicized, and when I get to an allusion, I boldface the lyric. At the end of Begin Again, I think I had all of the lyrics except for "You said you never met one girl who/Had as many James Taylor records as you/But I do". I think the rest were all alluded to, and if you read closely and keep track, I think I got them all. And I do think I'm a good writer, but if you think too highly of your work, it's almost like you're not driven to do better. I also just can't believe how many people read this story, since there are a lot of great fanfictions that aren't as popular, so it's like I'm the Lucky One._

**_megankillmk: _**_Sorry I had to leave the dot out of your name, but the stupid spam filter keeps omitting your username whenever I try to use it. Thanks for the feedback!_

**_Sunset13: _**_Toby is such a hopeless romantic in pretty much every fanfiction I've read because it's just so...Toby. And Spencer is cute without trying. I love Spencer. She's my favorite liar. I love her, caffeine addiction and all. _

**_dreamcatch3r: _**_This might be kind of weird in a really twisted, sick way, but I feel like Toby's mother would be the kind of mom to watch Alfred Hitchcock thrillers. I don't know...maybe it's because of all the Hitchcock allusions on the show. Psycho sounded like an awesome creepy movie that I kind of want to watch now. And I did read your story, and I like how it ended not so much as her parents having a problem with Toby (as they almost always seem to do), but Spencer's problem with Melissa. I thought it was clever in a weird way, and I would've reviewed, but I used up all my data on my phone and didn't have the time :)_

**_spoby equals awesomeness: _**_I tried to keep it as realistic as possible, but it was hard not trying to write really cheesy and really unrealistic lines for the two of them. They're just too cute and...gah, my feels. I want cute Spoby on the show now! I just want them to be cutesy and happy FOR ONCE. Like, it never freaking happens. Ugh. _

**_Guest: _**_I tried not to kill myself with the fluff in the epilogue :)_

**_Spobyforever259:_**_ Most people can't seem to believe I'm fourteen, and I think my other story might've been more angsty and twisty and thought out and I was just barely fourteen (my birthday is March 25th and I started that story on April 12th, I think). And I like responding to reviewers. I like you all to feel like I'm really listening, because I read reviews over like a thousand times. It's something I've done since my first story, and I like it. _

**_Addictedtospoby: _**_I kind of like Spoby on the show right now in a weird, demented way. I like that Spencer's helping him out, but unfortunately, it's putting a bad strain on their relationship (I hate that), and Spencer's friends just need to MIND THEIR OWN EFFING BUSINESS. Like really, I think someone said that they're talking about how she's being all secretive with Toby, keeping stuff from them, and that's just freaking hypocritical. I mean, Hanna's done it with Caleb, Aria's done it A TON with Ezra (and I think she was the one who said it...add it to the list of reasons I think Aria's a bum and I hate her sometimes), and I think Em did it a bit with Maya in the beginning. Besides, why do they need to know everything that goes on with Spencer? They need to butt out now or I'm just going to have to post a stupid rant on Tumblr, my blog, I don't care, but I'm going to go mad (even though I already am, :D ). And I think you should totally post that story, and if you decide you want to, just tell me when it's up, and I will check it out. _

**_Spoby101: _**_Unfortunately, Toby Cavanaughs do not grow on trees, and unless your name is Spencer Hastings, you cannot have him. Sigh...that lucky girl._

**_mickeymack16: _**_I guess I'm mature. More so than the kids in my class. Sometimes I just see them and I'm just like "Wtf?" Smh... But anyway, I hope you like this epilogue. It's long. It's almost like another chapter._

**_Onedirection2013: _**_You're killing me here. I really hope that you like the epilogue. I hope I did their cuteness justice._

**_Guest (EmilyAnne): _**_I haven't read her stuff in a while, but I like her one-shots. Some writers are good at writing chapter stories, others are good at writing one-shots. I think she's better at writing one-shots (though she's not bad at writing chapter stories, but they're really long). I'm probably the first one. I tried writing a one-shot and the people who reviewed it suggested I make it multi-chapter, so I did. _

**_Guest: _**_Thank you so much!_

**_Guest: _**_Aw, thank you! You have a nice day, too!_

**_Guest: _**_Thank you. I'm so glad you enjoyed it and that means a lot to me._

**_beautifuldreamerr: _**_I feel like I kind of did a parallel to Jason asking Aria if he could kiss her on their first date. And even Spencer can't resist fate :) And I think I'll defy time if you guys really want a sequel :)_

**_Troian-Bells: _**_Well, after this chapter, then it's over (but I will write a Author's Note afterwards to make my decision final on whether or not I want to write a sequel. I'd like to, but if that doesn't seem like something you guys would want, I won't pursue it). _

**_elenabee: _**_I think in a way, this Spoby is different from the one on the show simply because of how they came to be and how they were close before even becoming an official couple. And I'm still thinking about that sequel, so you should stay tuned :)_

* * *

**Epilogue**

_Seven months later…_

"You look really beautiful, Emily," Spencer commented as she watched Emily fix her hair for the thousandth time in the mirror.

Emily sighed. "I know how you feel about Tiffany, but you would be _so _wrong if you had seen her this past week before her wedding. She just went completely bridezilla," Emily insisted as she fixed the part once more. Spencer slapped her hand. "Ow! What was that for?" she demanded.

"If you touch your hair one more time, I will cut your hand off. You're ruining it," Spencer scolded, fixing the locks she had spent so much time perfecting already. "And I seriously doubt that Tiffany could ever be that bad. She's the best and she's so sweet."

"To you. I've had the pleasure of being around her a lot this entire week, and it's been hell and back," Emily responded.

Spencer laughed. She stepped back to look at Emily. "You look beautiful," she repeated. "You really do."

Emily smiled at her. "Toby is one lucky guy. You look _hot_, Spencer," she insisted.

Spencer blushed just thinking about it. She looked down at her dress. It had a short, flared skirt which reached about an inch above her knee. It was a sleeveless halter dress which was a deep, rich carmine color.

Emily glanced at the clock on the wall. "Come on, Spence. We're going to be late and Tiffany is going to have my head on a guillotine."

Spencer looked at the clock and saw that they still had about an hour to get to the church which was thirty minutes away in Philadelphia. "We still have time."

Emily looked at Spencer in amusement. "You, Spencer Hastings, claiming we don't have to leave yet? From what Hanna told me, thirty minutes early is late in your book. Is this the work of my best friend?" she asked, referring to Toby.

"Maybe," Spencer said. Her cheeks were about to match the same red as her dress. "Look, I'd appreciate it very much if you would stop scrutinizing my relationship."

Emily smirked. "I think it's cute, Spencer. You're still, oddly, in that honeymoon phase. Even though it's been seven months since you guys made it official," she commented. "I guess Toby will just have to wait to see you when we get to the church because I'm stealing you for now," she said.

Spencer nodded. "Are you and Toby walking down the aisle together? Should I be jealous?" she teased.

"Like the first time you saw us together?"

Now that Spencer knew Emily was a lesbian, she felt silly every time she looked back on that memory; the memory she had of first meeting Emily and Toby. "I'm sorry. I didn't know!"

"I just want to let you know that dating Toby would be like dating my brother. He practically _is _my brother. I'd never date him. But I don't think that Toby is looking to date anyone else now," Emily teased.

"Hey, stop it. I don't want to hear more about any of your crazy theories. The entire group has been driving the both of us crazy about _everything_," Spencer said, being certain to use a very general term as not to give Emily any ideas.

Emily smiled. "You mean about you and Toby getting engaged?"

Spencer frowned. "Yeah. That," she grumbled. "Why are you so dead set on me and Toby getting married? Wasn't this discouragement enough? If someone as cool as Tiffany can get all bent out of shape over her wedding, imagine what _I _would be like," she added.

"I'm thinking about the long-term. You know: cute Spencer and Toby babies and a quaint little house for the two of you and your kids. And you'll probably have _a lot _of kids," Emily said.

"You sound just like Hanna and I never pegged you for being dirty minded, Emily," Spencer answered.

Emily paused. "I wasn't insinuating anything." She turned to Spencer. "Are you?"

Spencer froze and was certain her cheeks matched the color of her dress.

"You dirty girl. But now that you mention it, I'm sure he's great in the sack. Is he?" she inquired absentmindedly.

Spencer closed her lips tightly. "I wouldn't know. We haven't…done it," she disclosed reluctantly.

Emily's mouth hung open slightly. "Are you planning on getting lucky tonight?" she asked with piqued curiosity.

Spencer smiled. "We'll see. Maybe," she answered with a seemingly innocent smile.

* * *

Tiffany paced back and forth nervously in her bridal suite. She had sent everyone out of her room. Everyone except for a certain blue-eyed boy.

She walked back and forth across the room, using every ounce of self-restraint to keep from biting her nails down to the quick. "I don't know anymore. Toby, what if this is wrong?" she said, feeling herself on the verge of tears. At least if she cried, her mascara was waterproof.

Toby was sitting on her bed, watching her go around the room tirelessly. "Tiffany, Shane asked you to marry him, yes or no?" Toby asked finally.

"What are you getting at? Now is not the time for a game of 20 Questions," Tiffany answered with a scowl.

"This has a point. I promise. Just answer the question."

"Yes."

"And you said yes, right?"

Tiffany sighed. "Yes," she answered.

"And you love him?"

"With everything I have and more," she replied without a moment's hesitation.

"You're making the right decision," Toby answered definitely.

Tiffany sighed and sat down next to Toby. She placed her head on his shoulder. Toby held her hand. "You know that you're my best friend, right? And that I'm glad you're the one walking me down the aisle," Tiffany informed him.

Toby nodded. "And Shane should be glad that I like him or there's no way I'd be letting you get married today," he jested.

Tiffany rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Thanks, Dad. I'm glad he has your approval."

Toby didn't want to tiptoe around the subject. "Does your father know you're getting married?"

She looked down at her hand and shook her head. "I haven't spoken to him in months. And our last conversation wasn't a pretty one," she confessed. "I don't want to think about my father on my wedding day, though. He didn't like Shane when he met him, and I don't want him around for our life together," she added.

Toby nodded.

Tiffany sighed as she got up. She took the bouquet which was sitting on the vanity. It consisted of fifteen champagne-colored roses. "I think I'm ready."

* * *

Spencer sat at the front of the church. Tiffany had asked for her to be right there weeks prior. Spencer thought it was a kind gesture.

She stood as people began to walk down the aisle. First came down Shane, the groom. Spencer had only met him once or twice, but he was a great person and she liked him a lot. Next came down two sets of bridesmaids and groomsmen. Then, Emily came down by herself. Lastly, Toby walked down with Tiffany. Tiffany was beaming as she walked to her soon-to-be-husband. What Spencer realized was that Toby was staring at her the entire time. Spencer realized with some kind of embarrassment that she had only briefly glanced at Tiffany since she and Toby walked in the room. She was locking eyes with him for most of the ceremony and only looked up when the rings were being exchanged and when Tiffany and Shane kissed for the first time as a married couple.

Toby and Spencer lingered in the church as most of the guests went outside to follow them. There were still a couple standing there, as if they were waiting for something else to happen, though it didn't.

"We should probably go," Toby whispered quietly as he came very close to Spencer. She took his hand and nodded.

"It was a beautiful ceremony," Spencer commented absentmindedly as they got outside just in time to see the two off.

Toby nodded in agreement. They both smiled at Tiffany and Shane, both with smiles spread wide across their faces.

* * *

Spencer leaned her head against her arm, which was resting on the back of her seat as she watched the couple dance along with a few others. She sighed. She felt like a young, naïve girl, watching beautiful, older, wiser women dance in their high heels and fancy dresses. She remembered wanting to be like them when she was younger.

"Do you want to dance, Spencer?"

Spencer turned her head in surprise to look at Toby. "I thought you said that you didn't dance. You never liked it. You didn't even dance at your high school prom," Spencer recalled, as if she were there with him.

Toby shrugged. "I know you like it. And for you, I'll do it."

The corners of her mouth formed into a smile, and she took his outstretched hand.

"I'm warning you that I haven't danced like this in a while and I'm probably terrible," Spencer warned him as he led her to the floor.

He pushed back a loose strand of hair. "I don't think there's anything that you're bad at. And trust me, I'm the bad one," he said before kissing her slightly on the lips.

Before Toby, she hated when people used PDA. But now that she had him…well, could you really blame her? They were one of those couples who were fond of PDA, and people often found it disgusting in a cute way.

Before Toby, she wasn't a lot of things. He changed her for the better.

Spencer leaned her head against his chest. She could feel his heartbeat, which reminded her of how much shorter she was. When she was with Andrew, she was about the same height as him in heels (one thing which completely angered him). She was pretty tall at 5'7". But Toby was much taller at 6'1", a height she still wasn't in her highest heels.

"I hate that you're taller than me," she said with a slight pout. Though most people would've been angered at her temperament, Toby found it cute.

"Can I tell you a secret, Spencer? It's actually better that you're so much shorter than me," Toby told her.

Spencer looked up at him, not amused. "Really? I'd like to know how."

"When you and I hug, you can hear the heart which only beats for you," Toby told her before kissing her on the forehead.

Spencer smiled. "You're so cheesy and I love you for it," she said before she kissed him sweetly on the lips.

* * *

Emily stirred her cocktail as the reception began to die down. She saw in her peripheral vision Spencer sit down beside her. Spencer looked extremely pink when she sat back down next to Emily.

"Hey, Emily. Are you going? Toby and I are staying here tonight," Spencer informed her.

Emily nodded. "Great. I'll just go home," she said, downing the last of her alcohol.

"We can bring you back if you really don't want to go alone," Spencer insisted.

Emily shook her head. "You guys need this. You deserve it. And don't even act like I don't know what this night is about," she said harshly. Spencer blushed. "Anyway, I'm really happy for you and Toby and Tiffany and Shane."

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" Spencer inquired, reading into Emily's innermost thoughts.

Emily sighed. "I'm just a little…lonely. But I'll get through it. I know what love feels like, and hopefully I'll find it again, someday."

Spencer nodded. "You just need to find somewhere to begin again. I know I did. When you find the one person who could make you change your views on everything you thought you knew, it's true love."

Emily thought of that, the words lingering in her mind.

Spencer smiled. "I know that I found my one true love. It's always been him," she said, looking over at Toby, who was speaking to Shane. "Sometimes, you find love where you least expect it. Love doesn't happen expectedly. It's spontaneous, erratic, and the best kind happens without you even realizing it. You only know when you can't fall asleep. Dr. Seuss was right. You can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams," she added. She looked down at her feet, blushing. "I've learned not to dislike the insomnia every night."

Emily nodded with a smile. She would wait to find love like that. But in the meantime, she would watch. She enjoyed every minute of it.

* * *

_Alright, I know that you guys have been hinting about a sequel, but I want a final tally. Since I'm so fond of hashtags, if you're all for a sequel to this story, please write #SequelKayson in your review. If you just want it to be this one story write #OneStory. Even if you've never reviewed before, please do it, so I can know what my readers think! I'll probably make my decision final after I come back from my cruise on Thursday. Thank you all so much for this experience, and I really do appreciate every single review I have gotten on this story. You guys really made my summer better. __**-Kayson**_


	30. Author's Note: Please Read!

Hey! It's me, Kayson, the tiny little five foot girl again. This is not a chapter (just so no one gets confused), but it's me posting my decision on whether or not I've decided to pursue writing a sequel to Begin Again.

I'm very pleased to announce, before I get to that, that my story has received over 15,000 views, 43 favorites, and 73 follows (wow). It's also the fourth most reviewed Spoby fanfiction, which I never thought it would be, and that makes me extremely excited about all of this. I never thought it would go this far, but it's gone above and beyond what I expected it to be.

Now, for the decision. Please cue the drumroll...

I have decided to make a sequel to this story, since all of you seem pretty invested in it. In fact, out of all the reviews I got for the epilogue (about forty-five, which was amazing), only two of them said to keep this one story, and while I'm sorry that a sequel is not what you guys wanted, I have decided to continue this.

Now, onto when you should expect this to come out...I will guesstimate in a week or so. I'm not tied to that date, but I will try to have it up soon, but I do want to get a head start in writing it, because my school is starting soon. However, I have 12 preps this year (because I'm a slacker that didn't include Latin or Concert Choir on my extra classes), so I don't know whether that will be good or bad. I have another project outside of fanfiction and school that I have to work on, which will be a big deal. I might tell you guys about it when the release date finally comes, but it will be time consuming, as I am a writer/actress/possibly director.

As for the title of this story, you should probably look for a story, written by yours truly, entitled **Everything Has Changed**. I felt the title was very fitting and also fitting since the first story was entitled Begin Again, another Taylor Swift song. This song is beautiful, and I have some ideas as to how I'm going to tie in those lyrics and make allusions and all that jazz.

In the meantime, I would like to recommend some Spencer/Toby fanfictions you should all read because they're really great, and I like them. I hope you guys do, too. I wonder how some of them aren't more popular, because they're great.

**Forever in the Form of 15 Years** by Sylviecake231: I think a lot of you guys are reading it, as I've mentioned it repeatedly, and I'm not going to stop mentioning it until you guys read it, because it's great. It's not explicitly Spencer/Toby (so far), it's more so their daughter, who is awesome, and I love Alllie. So...yes, you should read it, because I told you so.

**If You Ever Come Back To Us **by LittleSpoby2199: I've mentioned this story before, but I don't know if you guys knew this. This story was actually the way I found out about this website and the reason I started writing fanfiction. This is going to come off as a really twisted complment, but I promise it's a compliment: amid all of the gramatical errors, I've overlooked it because I love the plot so much. Now, mind you, I am a Grammar Nazi, so I get really ticked off by bad usage and stuff, so the story has to be really good if I can overlook it. And I love this story so much, it doesn't even matter to me.

**Dont Play Games** by ThatKidFromSchool: I bet you've all heard of the story, but if not, you've got to read it. Next.

**Spoby Trilogy** by .marcella: I just really like this story. It's very cool and different, and prior to that story, I had never seen one with Toby enlisting in the army, which I thought was cool and unique.

**I want it all **by the lights of paris: She was a reader from my first story, so when I found out that she was writing a story, I totally wanted to read it (her comments were awesome on my story). I don't think she's read this story I've written, but I still anxiously await for updates on that story, because it's awesome and I love it.

**Something by LynnLayne18: **I totally read her stories, and I love them both. I would definitely recommend you read them both. Find A Way was an interesting Pregnancy fic (oops, spoiler) and it wasn't unrealistic or drawn out like half the pregnancy fics on fanfiction are, so I appreciate that. I also like her AU-ish story Just a Summer Romance. It kind of inspired me in a weird way (well, that and the beautiful Bermudan beaches...if you ever see something somewhat similar to that story, I promise I'm not plagarizing). I'm just warning you, NOT PLAGARIZING.

**Moving On & Letting Go **by RandomRandoms14: I've read this story like three times and I never get sick of it. It's just awesome. And if you check out RandomRandoms14's YouTube account, she makes awesome Friends-dubovers (I guess that's how to describe them) on PLL. They're so funny, and Ezra as Chandler is awesome, along with Caleb as Joey, and Hanna as Pheobe (I could totally see that), Aria as Monica, and our babies as Ross and Rachel (he he he).

**When Opposites Attract **by Siretha Elaine: This story is just really great and unique. It's good, and you should definitely read it. I've never read a story where Spencer is a top defense attorney. I think for the most part, she's been a teacher...how unexpected (not really). In both of my stories she's ended up as teachers, so I guess it's expected of her.

**Friend Zone **by phoenix9648: This story was probably the first AU story I read, and I enjoyed it so much. It's a must-read.

Now, my stomach is telling me that it needs to eat, though I think I have enough fat from the cruise that I probably don't need to eat for like a year. Anyway, these were suggestions for what you should read to tide you over. There are more, but I'm too lazy to go look for my phone and give you the ones I'm reading at the moment. My stomach won't shut up, so I guess that's my cue to go. Look out for that sequel, which should be coming in Fall 2013. Until then! **-The Girl Whose Stomach Won't Shut Up**

**P.S: **I decided to try my hand at writing stuff other than Spencer & Toby, so I'm actually writing this multi-couple one-shot (or maybe three-shot, but I'm thinking of a really long one-shot) based off of the song "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". It's going to be Ezria, Haleb, and Spoby. I will try not to come off as really awkward when I write the Ezria parts, but it'll be hard. Still, I know how much you guys like Ezria, so I'll try for you. You'll probably see that before or around the same time as the sequel goes up. Kisses!

**Update 8/29/13: **The sequel is up! Check out my new story, **Everything Has Changed**! -**Kayson**


	31. Everything Has Changed

_Hey! It's little ole me again! I'm just writing this because I think some of you guys didn't get the memo, and I wanted to make sure everyone who follows this story knows:_

_**THE SEQUEL IS UP!**_

_So just in case you didn't know, you can go to my profile and check it out. I think some of you would be very pleased. The first few chapters are already up, and I really hope you enjoy it. _

_As a little teaser, I'm also going to post the Prologue to the story here._

* * *

**Prologue**

Spencer was no stranger to change. That much was true.

So often before in her life, she found it unwelcome. She liked routine. She liked knowing where and how things were supposed to be. She liked control. She didn't like surprises.

But life was full of surprises. She just wasn't sure what she was supposed to make of this one.

Wasn't this what she should've been expecting? It was what her friends had been hoping and wishing and praying for for months, almost a year. Secretly, she believed that this was what she was hoping for, too.

But something about this felt so wrong inside. Something felt bad about saying yes. Some part of her felt guilty. She could no longer tell whether it was the drama with her ex-fiancé, or that with his meddling, conniving ex-girlfriend. She didn't know if it was because of her own muddled feelings.

God, she hoped that it wasn't the last one.

She knew she loved him more than anything, more than everything in the world. She loved him more than she ever loved anyone in the world. She couldn't lose him. So saying yes was only natural, right? Right?

She had no idea what to say to him. She wanted to say yes, but there was that omnipresent fear which struck her and she knew all too well. It made her sick to her stomach.

She ran away from him, quickly throwing up. She wasn't sure whether or not it was because of her own nerves, or because of the pressure from another secret she was keeping under wraps.

God, she hoped that it wasn't the last one.

* * *

_Dun dun dun! Anyway, I hope you check out the next story in this series, which is called "Everything Has Changed". I just know that there are a couple of people I miss from this story, and I just wanted to make sure everyone knew! Thanks! __**-Kayson**_


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